What do you think?
Rate this book
The Seven Kennings #2
A Blight of Blackwings
Following A Plague of Giants comes the second novel in the Seven Kennings series - an unforgettable fantasy world of warring giants and elemental magic from the New York Times bestselling author of the Iron Druid Chronicles
Praise for A Plague of Giants:
'Truly epic fantasy' James Islington, author of The Shadow of What Was Lost
'This isn't just a breath of fresh air for the genre, it's a damned hurricane'
Jason M. Hough, New York Times bestselling author
'A rare masterpiece that's both current and timeless . . . merging the fantasy bones of Tolkien and Rothfuss with a wide cast of characters who'll break your heart'
Delilah S. Dawson
592 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 4, 2020
340 people are currently reading
2192 people want to read
About the author
Kevin Hearne
72 books12.8k followersKevin is the NYT bestselling author of the Iron Druid Chronicles, as well as The Seven Kennings, an epic fantasy trilogy, and the Tales of Pell, a humorous fantasy series co-authored with Delilah S. Dawson. INK & SIGIL, a new urban fantasy series set in the Iron Druid universe, will be out in 2020.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews
April 28, 2020
4.5 stars
I listened to this through my library and quite enjoyed it. Plan on getting the Audible edition.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
I listened to this through my library and quite enjoyed it. Plan on getting the Audible edition.
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
February 17, 2020
Following straight on from A Plague of Giants, this book throws the reader right back into the story. This is somewhat problematic if, like me, you read the first book some time ago and can't recall the details. It meant that initially I struggled to connect with, or even remember, some of the characters. Perhaps I should have read the first again, but honestly, I just didn't want to.
There's a lot to like here, especially the very real diversity of this world, and above all the imaginative and appealing magical system of the Seven Kennings. I'm not sure I have what it takes to be blessed with the Sixth Kenning, or even to try to get it, but do I ever want it. Those that DO have it are the best of what this book has to offer, they light up the page with their every interaction. I'm not sure I can put this series aside without finding out how it all turns out for them...
However, the fact that we only get to see each POV in short bursts, told via a bard's tale, means there's limited depth to any character. I can't help but think that the structural format that appealed so much to me in the first book has revealed itself to be too limiting here. It all feels too light, too simplistic, too similar. Things that happen in the now tend to be rather tedious, Dervan's breakfasts for one, and the piecemeal presentation of stories which have already happened serves to blunt their intensity. Despite the author telling us repeatedly that the bard's audience is on tenterhooks for the next instalment, there's no tension for the reader. Also, I don't remember quite as many infantile jokes in the first book. Some of the 'quality' content included fart jokes, a commander who writes cock poems, and comments about vegetables up bottoms. The cringe is real.
ARC via Netgalley
There's a lot to like here, especially the very real diversity of this world, and above all the imaginative and appealing magical system of the Seven Kennings. I'm not sure I have what it takes to be blessed with the Sixth Kenning, or even to try to get it, but do I ever want it. Those that DO have it are the best of what this book has to offer, they light up the page with their every interaction. I'm not sure I can put this series aside without finding out how it all turns out for them...
However, the fact that we only get to see each POV in short bursts, told via a bard's tale, means there's limited depth to any character. I can't help but think that the structural format that appealed so much to me in the first book has revealed itself to be too limiting here. It all feels too light, too simplistic, too similar. Things that happen in the now tend to be rather tedious, Dervan's breakfasts for one, and the piecemeal presentation of stories which have already happened serves to blunt their intensity. Despite the author telling us repeatedly that the bard's audience is on tenterhooks for the next instalment, there's no tension for the reader. Also, I don't remember quite as many infantile jokes in the first book. Some of the 'quality' content included fart jokes, a commander who writes cock poems, and comments about vegetables up bottoms. The cringe is real.
ARC via Netgalley
June 27, 2020
I'm very happy with Hearne's epic fantasy. It has all that vibe of the hinterlands and schools of primal magic while breaking a bit away from the first book's slightly YA vibe to hit pretty hard on the political stuff.
I mean, damn, I didn't expect it to veer away from political intrigue and just dive into CREATING A NEW POLITICAL SYSTEM instead. :) But why not? Fantasy (as well as SF) has always been known for vast worldbuilding, and this is just another aspect of the same. :) But please don't mistake me. This is brimming over with all the other worldbuilding aspects. So many peoples, languages, cultures... all of them making a melting pot. It kinda brings a tear to my eye. :)
Of course, the detractors, the revolution, the bees, and wasps... well all those things are just gravy. :)
But you know what really stood out more than all the memorable characters?
The bard's songs.
Some of that stuff was crazy funny. :)
And yes, for all you fans of Hearne's UF series, he never forgets his humorous roots. He's just expanded his repertoire. And continues to expand it in this book. :)
I mean, damn, I didn't expect it to veer away from political intrigue and just dive into CREATING A NEW POLITICAL SYSTEM instead. :) But why not? Fantasy (as well as SF) has always been known for vast worldbuilding, and this is just another aspect of the same. :) But please don't mistake me. This is brimming over with all the other worldbuilding aspects. So many peoples, languages, cultures... all of them making a melting pot. It kinda brings a tear to my eye. :)
Of course, the detractors, the revolution, the bees, and wasps... well all those things are just gravy. :)
But you know what really stood out more than all the memorable characters?
The bard's songs.
Some of that stuff was crazy funny. :)
And yes, for all you fans of Hearne's UF series, he never forgets his humorous roots. He's just expanded his repertoire. And continues to expand it in this book. :)
February 26, 2020
I love the episodic feel of these books. There wasn't a single viewpoint I didn't enjoy - and once again it was the world itself that pulled me in.
Kevin Hearne has definitely created something wholly his own and I love that I get to be a part of it.
Excited as fuck for book 3!
Kevin Hearne has definitely created something wholly his own and I love that I get to be a part of it.
Excited as fuck for book 3!
March 29, 2022
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I liked this book. Quite a lot, actually! It did take me a very long time to work my way through this novel though. It has been a couple of years since I read the first book in the series and just trying to remember who’s who and what’s what took some time. Once I felt more settled in the story, I was able to pick up the pace and the pages started flying by. I really did enjoy the time that I spent reading this book.
This book is told from many points of view as told through the stories of a bard. I think that this is a very creative way to tell a story and I really enjoyed getting to see so many different perspectives during the story. But it is a lot of characters to remember and keep straight. Some characters play a large role in the story while others only pop up a few times but I really liked the way that together they gave the reader a more complete picture. I really do like the world that this book is set in and was intrigued by the seven kennings, or abilities, present in the world.
This book did have its fair share of action. We see different groups of people who are sometimes at odds so there are a few pretty intense battle scenes that left me holding my breath. The events in this story do take an emotional toll on many of the characters and I liked the way that we see them deal with some pretty intense situations. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the resolution that I had hoped for as the book drew to an end. I really felt the book just kind of stopped and I am quite eager to see what happens next but the next book hasn’t been published just yet.
I would recommend this book to fantasy readers. I think that this would be a great series to binge since that would make it easier to keep track of the many characters. I cannot wait to read more of this series!
I received a digital review copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
I liked this book! It took me a long time to work my way through this book. Part of that is just my life but the other part of that is the fact that there are a lot of characters to keep straight. It has been some time since I read the first book so trying to remember who's who and what's what took some time. Once I got a feel for this world again, I did pick up the pace quite a bit. This book is told from many points of view as told through the stories of a bard. I think that this is a very creative way to tell a story and I really enjoyed getting to see so many different perspectives during the story. I must say that I am eager to pick up the next book once it becomes available.
I liked this book. Quite a lot, actually! It did take me a very long time to work my way through this novel though. It has been a couple of years since I read the first book in the series and just trying to remember who’s who and what’s what took some time. Once I felt more settled in the story, I was able to pick up the pace and the pages started flying by. I really did enjoy the time that I spent reading this book.
This book is told from many points of view as told through the stories of a bard. I think that this is a very creative way to tell a story and I really enjoyed getting to see so many different perspectives during the story. But it is a lot of characters to remember and keep straight. Some characters play a large role in the story while others only pop up a few times but I really liked the way that together they gave the reader a more complete picture. I really do like the world that this book is set in and was intrigued by the seven kennings, or abilities, present in the world.
This book did have its fair share of action. We see different groups of people who are sometimes at odds so there are a few pretty intense battle scenes that left me holding my breath. The events in this story do take an emotional toll on many of the characters and I liked the way that we see them deal with some pretty intense situations. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the resolution that I had hoped for as the book drew to an end. I really felt the book just kind of stopped and I am quite eager to see what happens next but the next book hasn’t been published just yet.
I would recommend this book to fantasy readers. I think that this would be a great series to binge since that would make it easier to keep track of the many characters. I cannot wait to read more of this series!
I received a digital review copy of this book from Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley.
Initial Thoughts
I liked this book! It took me a long time to work my way through this book. Part of that is just my life but the other part of that is the fact that there are a lot of characters to keep straight. It has been some time since I read the first book so trying to remember who's who and what's what took some time. Once I got a feel for this world again, I did pick up the pace quite a bit. This book is told from many points of view as told through the stories of a bard. I think that this is a very creative way to tell a story and I really enjoyed getting to see so many different perspectives during the story. I must say that I am eager to pick up the next book once it becomes available.
October 4, 2023
A Blight of Blackwings is the second book in a wonderful fantasy series from one of my favorite authors, Kevin Hearne. The massive story is set in a world where certain members of the population are blessed with Kennings, the ability to manipulate one of the four elements, plants, or animals. The six nations of Teldwena are dealing with the aftermath from an invasion of an unknown race simply known as the Bone Giants (although some know the race to be the Eculans), as well as the discovery of the sixth Kenning, mastery over animals. The book picks up immediately after the conclusion of the first book, A Plague of Giants, on Day 20 of the Bard’s tales. Reading the first book in the series is a MUST.
A Blight of Blackwings is the second part to the epic tale of the Seven Kennings. The book shares the journeys and battles of the land and its people, starting not at the beginning and ending not at the conclusion, yet not on a cliffhanger, but rather, at a point of rest in between the parts of the whole. This story is shared in two ways within each chapter, both in present day and in flashbacks that cover the past several months.
First, the story is narrated in present day by Dervan, a Brynt scholar and historian, friend of the ruling king, and survivor of the Bone Giant attack. He’s still trying to discover the truth behind the murder of his spy-mistress wife and doing what the king asks to help his country, which gets him wrapped up in espionage and political maneuverings. Dervan’s story provides a few exciting twists and turns in the plot. From Dervan’s point of view, readers are able to experience how the war is impacting the survivors, most significantly how they are dealing with a shortage of food and supplies.
Dervan continues to accompany Fintan, the Raelic Master Bard, each day and records the knowledge and tales Fintan shares with the masses on Survivor Field. A Raelic bard has perfect memory recall and the ability to transform shape into the character whose story he shares. Which leads me to the second method of storytelling, which is Fintan’s recounting of the events of the very recent past. By taking on the personas of key figures of the war and its aftermath and sharing their stories, Fintan allows the survivors (and readers) to slowly learn about how the lands arrived in their current state. Each character is carefully selected, and over the course of the book, we begin to see important connections. The stories are both informative and personal, not only providing important puzzle pieces, but also creating a heart for this epic tale.
Overall, A Blight of Blackwings shares the stories of a changing world: the uprising of the oppressed who demand a new government, the creation of a new settlement, the knowledge of a spy, the introduction of a new race of people, and learning that the world is much bigger than the lands of Teldwena. The story is epic, but told in a way that makes it personal and intimate. I have come to care about these characters, following them on their journey. Some are at peace, while others are troubled or their outcomes unknown or unfinished. The world is diverse and amazing, with so many peoples, animals, settings, and manifestations of the Kennings. Mr. Hearne created a full and lush world that fills my mind with awe.
Narration: The performances of Luke Daniels and Xe Sands are phenomenal! As I mentioned, the story is shared in two different ways. Dervan is shared via his first person POV, with Fintan’s seemings and stories shared via first person of that character. Most of the narrative is read by Mr. Daniels. He is the primary voices of Dervan and Fintan, as well as all male flashback/memories. Ms. Sands jumps in to share the bard’s female-centric stories. Both provide a massive array of accents and tones, ranging heavy and deep, to airy and light. Both provide such a variety of inflections and emotions; their ranges wow’d me. It was so easy to get lost in their storytelling, enabling me to sit back and enjoy this story.
Having learned how to follow along with the unique method of storytelling during the first book, I was able to easily jump into A Blight of Blackwings. And although it’s been over two years since the release of the first book, I had no troubles pick up and carrying on with this one. The story on whole is engrossing, made more so by the amazing narration. In the end, I enjoyed my time spend with Dervan, Fintan, and this fascinating world of the Seven Kennings. I found myself deeply engrossed in the stories and characters, and I look forward to finding out what happens next for the citizens of these lands.
My Ratings
Story: A
Narration: A
Review copy provided by Penguin Random House Audio
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
A Blight of Blackwings is the second part to the epic tale of the Seven Kennings. The book shares the journeys and battles of the land and its people, starting not at the beginning and ending not at the conclusion, yet not on a cliffhanger, but rather, at a point of rest in between the parts of the whole. This story is shared in two ways within each chapter, both in present day and in flashbacks that cover the past several months.
First, the story is narrated in present day by Dervan, a Brynt scholar and historian, friend of the ruling king, and survivor of the Bone Giant attack. He’s still trying to discover the truth behind the murder of his spy-mistress wife and doing what the king asks to help his country, which gets him wrapped up in espionage and political maneuverings. Dervan’s story provides a few exciting twists and turns in the plot. From Dervan’s point of view, readers are able to experience how the war is impacting the survivors, most significantly how they are dealing with a shortage of food and supplies.
Dervan continues to accompany Fintan, the Raelic Master Bard, each day and records the knowledge and tales Fintan shares with the masses on Survivor Field. A Raelic bard has perfect memory recall and the ability to transform shape into the character whose story he shares. Which leads me to the second method of storytelling, which is Fintan’s recounting of the events of the very recent past. By taking on the personas of key figures of the war and its aftermath and sharing their stories, Fintan allows the survivors (and readers) to slowly learn about how the lands arrived in their current state. Each character is carefully selected, and over the course of the book, we begin to see important connections. The stories are both informative and personal, not only providing important puzzle pieces, but also creating a heart for this epic tale.
Overall, A Blight of Blackwings shares the stories of a changing world: the uprising of the oppressed who demand a new government, the creation of a new settlement, the knowledge of a spy, the introduction of a new race of people, and learning that the world is much bigger than the lands of Teldwena. The story is epic, but told in a way that makes it personal and intimate. I have come to care about these characters, following them on their journey. Some are at peace, while others are troubled or their outcomes unknown or unfinished. The world is diverse and amazing, with so many peoples, animals, settings, and manifestations of the Kennings. Mr. Hearne created a full and lush world that fills my mind with awe.
Narration: The performances of Luke Daniels and Xe Sands are phenomenal! As I mentioned, the story is shared in two different ways. Dervan is shared via his first person POV, with Fintan’s seemings and stories shared via first person of that character. Most of the narrative is read by Mr. Daniels. He is the primary voices of Dervan and Fintan, as well as all male flashback/memories. Ms. Sands jumps in to share the bard’s female-centric stories. Both provide a massive array of accents and tones, ranging heavy and deep, to airy and light. Both provide such a variety of inflections and emotions; their ranges wow’d me. It was so easy to get lost in their storytelling, enabling me to sit back and enjoy this story.
Having learned how to follow along with the unique method of storytelling during the first book, I was able to easily jump into A Blight of Blackwings. And although it’s been over two years since the release of the first book, I had no troubles pick up and carrying on with this one. The story on whole is engrossing, made more so by the amazing narration. In the end, I enjoyed my time spend with Dervan, Fintan, and this fascinating world of the Seven Kennings. I found myself deeply engrossed in the stories and characters, and I look forward to finding out what happens next for the citizens of these lands.
My Ratings
Story: A
Narration: A
Review copy provided by Penguin Random House Audio
Originally posted at That's What I'm Talking About
January 5, 2022
I really enjoyed Plague of Giants but was disappointed with this one. Apart from the reveal on the 7th Kenning it felt like a lot of filler/set-up for the 3rd book. Not a lot happens and the narrative lacks any real tension. On top of that the dialogue is inconsistent with the characterisation, an example being the discussion with a fearsome monster about its not binary gender choice and the poetry is even worse than in the 1st book.
Having said all that, I'll no doubt buy the final one in the series to see what happens because the world Hearne has created is interesting enough to care about.
Having said all that, I'll no doubt buy the final one in the series to see what happens because the world Hearne has created is interesting enough to care about.
February 17, 2022
Much like the first book, this was rich in storytelling and characterization. The plot just keeps rolling along getting deeper and deeper . the best compliment I can give to the author is that the real world melted away for hours at a time. So engrossed was I, the ended came much to fast. Can't wait to read more.
April 2, 2021
5 Stars
There are some great twists in this 2nd installment, which introduces us to the 7th Kenning, this is not a spoiler; this is after all the Seven Kennings trilogy.
I must say, the 7th Kenning is going to be a huge issue; I mean, HUGE. We already have a regions that don't want to recognize the 6th Kenning; and are wanting to eradicate every Kenning but their own; so there's that. Now, we have a 7th; and we really don't learn much but learn a lot; if that makes sense. All I can say, is that what we do know is that this new Kenning will cause even more strife amongst regions.
The character development is methodical and the pacing of this story frustrating. Frustrating, because as Fintan tells the story of each character; we have to wait. He stokes the flames and then goes to another character and issues they are trying to resolve. I think my favorite characters; unfortunately; are the viceroys. Good grief, they are hilarious!! Rude, crude, dangerous, evil; but hilarious nonetheless.
A good or bad thing about the regions explored is that none have successfully ventured across the oceans, due to Krakens. Yes, Krakens. If the world view changes; what other issues arise?? These are all things we learn of, in this installment.
Edit 4/2/21 - What I failed to mention, is how inclusive this book is. The author makes no grand statements about inclusion; it just is. Differing cultures, skin color, language, religions, and sexuality. Finding a mate of the same sex is not a thing; it just is what it is. I love this!
Highly recommended trilogy. High Fantasy.
There are some great twists in this 2nd installment, which introduces us to the 7th Kenning, this is not a spoiler; this is after all the Seven Kennings trilogy.
I must say, the 7th Kenning is going to be a huge issue; I mean, HUGE. We already have a regions that don't want to recognize the 6th Kenning; and are wanting to eradicate every Kenning but their own; so there's that. Now, we have a 7th; and we really don't learn much but learn a lot; if that makes sense. All I can say, is that what we do know is that this new Kenning will cause even more strife amongst regions.
The character development is methodical and the pacing of this story frustrating. Frustrating, because as Fintan tells the story of each character; we have to wait. He stokes the flames and then goes to another character and issues they are trying to resolve. I think my favorite characters; unfortunately; are the viceroys. Good grief, they are hilarious!! Rude, crude, dangerous, evil; but hilarious nonetheless.
A good or bad thing about the regions explored is that none have successfully ventured across the oceans, due to Krakens. Yes, Krakens. If the world view changes; what other issues arise?? These are all things we learn of, in this installment.
Edit 4/2/21 - What I failed to mention, is how inclusive this book is. The author makes no grand statements about inclusion; it just is. Differing cultures, skin color, language, religions, and sexuality. Finding a mate of the same sex is not a thing; it just is what it is. I love this!
Highly recommended trilogy. High Fantasy.
November 8, 2025
Kevin Hearne has imagined another spectacular series to devour. He has created a unique writing style that pulls the reader into the world of his creation.
I do have to admit, this book had a slow start. It took me awhile to get caught up in the telling, which I do feel is the transition between storyteller (the bard) and the story itself but once it gets going, I’m all in.
I highly recommend you sit aside plenty of time to travel through the lands that contain Bone Giants and Kennings.
I received this ARC copy of A Blight of Blackwings from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine - Del Rey. This is my honest and voluntary review. A Blight of Blackwings was set for publication Feb 4, 2020.
I do have to admit, this book had a slow start. It took me awhile to get caught up in the telling, which I do feel is the transition between storyteller (the bard) and the story itself but once it gets going, I’m all in.
I highly recommend you sit aside plenty of time to travel through the lands that contain Bone Giants and Kennings.
I received this ARC copy of A Blight of Blackwings from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine - Del Rey. This is my honest and voluntary review. A Blight of Blackwings was set for publication Feb 4, 2020.
March 8, 2020
Originally published at Reading Reality
Like the character Dervan in this story, I became so caught up in the tale as it unfolded that I wanted spoilers! Or at least I wanted Fintan the Bard to get on with it a whole lot faster. Which meant that as much as I love the audio version of this story, I switched to the book at about the ⅓ point just so I could find out what happened next. And next after that. And after that. And so on right until barreling through to the end, even knowing that this story as a whole is not done yet.
Dammit.
Just as in the first book in the series, the extremely awesome and utterly marvelous A Plague of Giants, the story that we are reading is mostly the story itself being told by Fintan the Bard to the crowd camped on Survivors’ Field in Pelemyn. The people who survived the events of the first part of the story and fetched up in Pelemyn as refugees from the multiple crises that have afflicted Teldwyn.
Not just one but two plagues of giants.
The title of this entry in the series is a tad more subtle. The book A Plague of Giants contained actual plagues of giants, after all. But the blight of blackwings referred to this time is not a literal plague of the same sort.
Instead, a blight of blackwings feels like it’s the equivalent of “a murder of crows,” or “an unkindness of ravens.” Or possibly both, as the blackwings of Teldwyn occupy the same niche as crows and ravens do. They are carrion birds. They eat the dead, and they feast after a battle.
They also hover over trouble in the hopes that said trouble will result in some dead for them to eat. Hopefully soon, from their perspective. Which means that if you are a human blessed by the sixth kenning, and your gift is communication with blackwings, you can spot trouble coming before your blackwings get a meal.
And that’s the story of A Blight of Blackwings, the spotting of trouble on the horizon. However, just like in A Plague of Giants, there are lots of blackwings hovering over trouble in lots of places. A concept which the UK cover for the book makes much more clear!
With even more on the horizon by the end of this portion of the Bard’s tale. And it’s awesome every step of the way. For multiple definitions of the word “awe”.
UK cover
Escape Rating A++: To paraphrase Hanima the Hivemistress, this book is the BEST!
This is a huge story, covering an entire world. You do have to have read A Plague of Giants to get into A Blight of Blackwings. If you love epic fantasy you’ll be glad you did. This world-spanning story is a real treat.
That being said, it’s necessary to talk about what makes it such a treat.
A big part of that for me was that the author’s experiment in voice really worked. The author said that he was trying to recreate the feeling of the old bardic tales as Homer used to tell them. While we don’t know what that was really like, what he has created here turns out to be a fascinating way of telling a big story with a huge cast of characters while making sure all of those threads are easy to follow.
The framing story is that Fintan the Bard is telling the tales using the voices and faces of the people who experienced each part, strung together with a bit of what is going on in the city through the eyes of Dervan, the chronicler and confidant of the city’s ruler. So we see what has happened in the past through Fintan’s tale, and what is happening in the present through Dervan’s first-person asides.
I will also say here that the two voice actors do a terrific job of making all of the voices distinct. Even when I switched to reading the ebook I was still hearing their voices in my head and it definitely helped form my picture of who each of the different characters was.
The invention of the “kennings” the magic of this world, is a new take on the whole magic in fantasy idea, and the way that it works underpins the politics and people’s perspective on their world. On the one hand, there’s the sense that the kennings kind of function like the old saying about when the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail, just writ very, very large.
At the same time those kennings underpin both politics and religion, so the discovery of a sixth and possibly even a seventh upsets a whole fleet of apple carts.
One other thing that makes this magic system different is the price that is paid to wield it. One of the terrible things that frequently happens in other magic systems is that magic is either the ultimate power or so easy to use that everyone gets lazy. The cost of magic in this world is extremely dear, both to acquire it and to use it. Magic users always have to think about whether the ends they have to achieve justify the loss of years of their lives. Perhaps even all the years they have left.
This is also a story where the use of language can shock you with it’s terrible beauty. After discovering that his entire town has been slaughtered in his absence, the leader of a band of hunters reflects that, “Most of us were still in the shock stages of grief, the foyer to a mansion of pain in which I knew we’d dwell for many years. Just beyond, however, a red room beckoned, a spacious expanse for rage, and I had little doubt the entire band would step in there with me for an extended period.” I was struck by that phrase, and chilled by an intense feeling of recognition. It feels right and true and haunting in the vividness of the image. A haunting that returned every time that character refers back to it. Because he’s right, they are all heading for that red room of rage – and possibly taking the rest of the country with them.
We’ll find out in book 3 of the series, tentatively titled A Curse of Krakens. I want it so bad, and I want it now! But I expect I’ll have to wait a couple of years, based on the time between A Plague of Giants and A Blight of Blackwings. And it will be SO worth it!
Like the character Dervan in this story, I became so caught up in the tale as it unfolded that I wanted spoilers! Or at least I wanted Fintan the Bard to get on with it a whole lot faster. Which meant that as much as I love the audio version of this story, I switched to the book at about the ⅓ point just so I could find out what happened next. And next after that. And after that. And so on right until barreling through to the end, even knowing that this story as a whole is not done yet.
Dammit.
Just as in the first book in the series, the extremely awesome and utterly marvelous A Plague of Giants, the story that we are reading is mostly the story itself being told by Fintan the Bard to the crowd camped on Survivors’ Field in Pelemyn. The people who survived the events of the first part of the story and fetched up in Pelemyn as refugees from the multiple crises that have afflicted Teldwyn.
Not just one but two plagues of giants.
The title of this entry in the series is a tad more subtle. The book A Plague of Giants contained actual plagues of giants, after all. But the blight of blackwings referred to this time is not a literal plague of the same sort.
Instead, a blight of blackwings feels like it’s the equivalent of “a murder of crows,” or “an unkindness of ravens.” Or possibly both, as the blackwings of Teldwyn occupy the same niche as crows and ravens do. They are carrion birds. They eat the dead, and they feast after a battle.
They also hover over trouble in the hopes that said trouble will result in some dead for them to eat. Hopefully soon, from their perspective. Which means that if you are a human blessed by the sixth kenning, and your gift is communication with blackwings, you can spot trouble coming before your blackwings get a meal.
And that’s the story of A Blight of Blackwings, the spotting of trouble on the horizon. However, just like in A Plague of Giants, there are lots of blackwings hovering over trouble in lots of places. A concept which the UK cover for the book makes much more clear!
With even more on the horizon by the end of this portion of the Bard’s tale. And it’s awesome every step of the way. For multiple definitions of the word “awe”.
UK cover
Escape Rating A++: To paraphrase Hanima the Hivemistress, this book is the BEST!
This is a huge story, covering an entire world. You do have to have read A Plague of Giants to get into A Blight of Blackwings. If you love epic fantasy you’ll be glad you did. This world-spanning story is a real treat.
That being said, it’s necessary to talk about what makes it such a treat.
A big part of that for me was that the author’s experiment in voice really worked. The author said that he was trying to recreate the feeling of the old bardic tales as Homer used to tell them. While we don’t know what that was really like, what he has created here turns out to be a fascinating way of telling a big story with a huge cast of characters while making sure all of those threads are easy to follow.
The framing story is that Fintan the Bard is telling the tales using the voices and faces of the people who experienced each part, strung together with a bit of what is going on in the city through the eyes of Dervan, the chronicler and confidant of the city’s ruler. So we see what has happened in the past through Fintan’s tale, and what is happening in the present through Dervan’s first-person asides.
I will also say here that the two voice actors do a terrific job of making all of the voices distinct. Even when I switched to reading the ebook I was still hearing their voices in my head and it definitely helped form my picture of who each of the different characters was.
The invention of the “kennings” the magic of this world, is a new take on the whole magic in fantasy idea, and the way that it works underpins the politics and people’s perspective on their world. On the one hand, there’s the sense that the kennings kind of function like the old saying about when the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail, just writ very, very large.
At the same time those kennings underpin both politics and religion, so the discovery of a sixth and possibly even a seventh upsets a whole fleet of apple carts.
One other thing that makes this magic system different is the price that is paid to wield it. One of the terrible things that frequently happens in other magic systems is that magic is either the ultimate power or so easy to use that everyone gets lazy. The cost of magic in this world is extremely dear, both to acquire it and to use it. Magic users always have to think about whether the ends they have to achieve justify the loss of years of their lives. Perhaps even all the years they have left.
This is also a story where the use of language can shock you with it’s terrible beauty. After discovering that his entire town has been slaughtered in his absence, the leader of a band of hunters reflects that, “Most of us were still in the shock stages of grief, the foyer to a mansion of pain in which I knew we’d dwell for many years. Just beyond, however, a red room beckoned, a spacious expanse for rage, and I had little doubt the entire band would step in there with me for an extended period.” I was struck by that phrase, and chilled by an intense feeling of recognition. It feels right and true and haunting in the vividness of the image. A haunting that returned every time that character refers back to it. Because he’s right, they are all heading for that red room of rage – and possibly taking the rest of the country with them.
We’ll find out in book 3 of the series, tentatively titled A Curse of Krakens. I want it so bad, and I want it now! But I expect I’ll have to wait a couple of years, based on the time between A Plague of Giants and A Blight of Blackwings. And it will be SO worth it!
May 9, 2021
This is quite a frustrating book to rate and review, since it is the very definition of a middle book. It is beautifully written, the tiny problems that the first one may have had have been polished out, things that have been set up previously get developed, some stuff is discovered, some stuff is cleared up, there are a few heartbreaking moments (oh, the sequence), but then things just abruptly stop, “to be concluded in” a book that won’t be out for at least another year or so.
April 13, 2020
Will review at www.fantasyliterature.com.
February 27, 2020
I loved the first book in the series, Plague of Giants. This second book has come after Kevin teamed up with another author to right a fun set of books that are both whimsical and fun, full of endless innuendo. It's that work that has made its way into A Blight of Blackwings and quite honestly, has no place. Plague of Giants felt like a fresh new writing style from Kevin but all the dick innuendo in A Blight of Blackwings feels like several steps back. They have a time and place but not in the 7 Kennings series.
Please oh please sir Kevin, in the third book, refer back to your style in Plague of Giants as that is what hooked me.
Don't get me wrong, I have read just about every book Kevin has written and love his works. I just felt like he really had something with the 7 Kennings and unfortunately let his other works influence the second book in the series to almost an annoying amount.
Please oh please sir Kevin, in the third book, refer back to your style in Plague of Giants as that is what hooked me.
Don't get me wrong, I have read just about every book Kevin has written and love his works. I just felt like he really had something with the 7 Kennings and unfortunately let his other works influence the second book in the series to almost an annoying amount.
February 27, 2020
Overall a good story, fun read, the pacing is a little off in this one, feels a bit rushed.
The interludes between the bard's stories often feel like they were inserted only out of the necessity of keeping the reader in the context of the narration and serve no practical purpose in advancing the story.
This installment is also loaded with political correctness, overly simplistic and idealistic political models, blatant Marxist propaganda, and an overall lack of understanding of economics.
The book could also use a glossary of kennings and abilities.
Unfortunately, despite being a fan of Hearn's Iron Druid series (which doesn't take itself too seriously), I was very disappointed in this read, the story is still worth a read to see where things go but I really hope that the final installment will bring the bar back up to that of A Plague of Giants.
The interludes between the bard's stories often feel like they were inserted only out of the necessity of keeping the reader in the context of the narration and serve no practical purpose in advancing the story.
This installment is also loaded with political correctness, overly simplistic and idealistic political models, blatant Marxist propaganda, and an overall lack of understanding of economics.
The book could also use a glossary of kennings and abilities.
Unfortunately, despite being a fan of Hearn's Iron Druid series (which doesn't take itself too seriously), I was very disappointed in this read, the story is still worth a read to see where things go but I really hope that the final installment will bring the bar back up to that of A Plague of Giants.
February 27, 2020
I love Kevin Hearne and the Iron Druid series which has ended. Fortunately I am enjoying the Seven Kennings series too. The first two books are a delight.
If you have never heard Kevin speak, you may not know how fun his audio books are. His narrator, Luke Daniels, is amazing and Kevin often plants difficult words, songs, and characters (voicing several different dogs for instance) into his books as a joke and a challenge for the narrator.
I read and listened to both Seven Kennings books more than once which is the test of a great story to me.
If you love good characters, stories well told, fresh looks at pantheons old and new, and humor, you might like this author as much as I do.
If you have never heard Kevin speak, you may not know how fun his audio books are. His narrator, Luke Daniels, is amazing and Kevin often plants difficult words, songs, and characters (voicing several different dogs for instance) into his books as a joke and a challenge for the narrator.
I read and listened to both Seven Kennings books more than once which is the test of a great story to me.
If you love good characters, stories well told, fresh looks at pantheons old and new, and humor, you might like this author as much as I do.
May 8, 2022
Es ist kaum zu glauben, dass Fintans Sage aus der gleichen Feder stammt wie der eiserne Druide oder der Siegelmagier. Die letzten beiden Buchreihen sind vergleichsweise einfach geschrieben und präsentieren dem Leser immer wieder mal alberne bzw. humorvolle Momente. Fintans Sage hingegen ist hochkomplex, wird mehrgleisig erzählt und hat sehr viele Figuren, die eine jede ihr Schicksal hat, das erzählt werden möchte.
Leider fängt der zweite Teil übergangslos an, so dass es recht schwierig ist, in die Geschichte einzufinden, weil Kevin Hearne keine Rückblenden eingebaut hat. Wer die Zeit und die Muße hat, sollte sich vielleicht den ersten Teil nochmals gönnen. Denn auch dieser war recht umfänglich und bestach durch seine Komplexität. Die jeweiligen Handlungsstränge laufen zuerst nebeneinander, kreuzen sich dann allerdings immer wieder. Und zwar öfters als noch im ersten Teil. Und so kommt es oft vor, dass eine Person die Ereignisse aus ihrer Sicht erzählt und ein Kapitel später eine zweite Person die gleiche Szene aus ihrer Perspektive erzählt oder aber direkt an den Ereignissen anknüpft.
Das klingt komisch, denn eine der Besonderheiten bei Fintans Sage ist die Art und Weise, wie der Barde Fintan die Ereignisse erzählt. Er nimmt nämlich die Gestalt der jeweiligen Person an, um aus dessen Perspektive zu erzählen. Was mich gleich zur Besonderheit des Hörbuchs führt, denn jede der einzelnen Personen wird von einem anderen Sprecher bzw. Sprecherin erzählt. Es bleibt aber dabei, dass es sich um ein Hörbuch und nicht um ein Hörspiel handelt. Bis auf eine Besetzung bleiben die Sprecher im Vergleich zum ersten Band gleich, wobei allerdings relativ viele neue Figuren ins Spiel gebracht werden. Sind es im ersten Band noch 11 (!) Sprecher und Sprecherinnen, so sind es im zweiten Teil derer 12.
Die Handlung irgendwie zusammenzufassen, ist ein wenig schwierig. Es geht mal wieder um die Kennings und der Leser erfährt viel neues zum sechsten Kenning und vielleicht sogar von einem siebten. Ich erkläre jetzt nicht, was ein Kenning ist, da dies zu umfangreich werden würde. Auch spielen die unterschiedlichen Völker eine Rolle und der Leser erfährt ein wenig über die Motivation der Knochengiganten. Zudem gibt es zahlreiche Intrigen, Wendungen und Verstrickungen.
Fazit
Ich kann mich nur wiederholen, in dem sage, dass Fintans Sage deutlich komplexer und vielschichtiger ist als der eiserne Druide und der Siegelmagier. Es braucht einiges an Konzentration, um der Geschichte zu folgen und es ist kaum möglich, sie „mal eben“ nebenher zu hören. Da werden einige Puzzleteile verloren gehen. Ich finde es immer noch sehr genial, dass hier für jede einzelne Person unterschiedliche Sprecher und Sprecherinnen die Texte eingesprochen haben. Es scheint fast so, als sei das Buch extra von Kevin Hearne so geschrieben worden, damit es so vertont wird.
Leider fängt der zweite Teil übergangslos an, so dass es recht schwierig ist, in die Geschichte einzufinden, weil Kevin Hearne keine Rückblenden eingebaut hat. Wer die Zeit und die Muße hat, sollte sich vielleicht den ersten Teil nochmals gönnen. Denn auch dieser war recht umfänglich und bestach durch seine Komplexität. Die jeweiligen Handlungsstränge laufen zuerst nebeneinander, kreuzen sich dann allerdings immer wieder. Und zwar öfters als noch im ersten Teil. Und so kommt es oft vor, dass eine Person die Ereignisse aus ihrer Sicht erzählt und ein Kapitel später eine zweite Person die gleiche Szene aus ihrer Perspektive erzählt oder aber direkt an den Ereignissen anknüpft.
Das klingt komisch, denn eine der Besonderheiten bei Fintans Sage ist die Art und Weise, wie der Barde Fintan die Ereignisse erzählt. Er nimmt nämlich die Gestalt der jeweiligen Person an, um aus dessen Perspektive zu erzählen. Was mich gleich zur Besonderheit des Hörbuchs führt, denn jede der einzelnen Personen wird von einem anderen Sprecher bzw. Sprecherin erzählt. Es bleibt aber dabei, dass es sich um ein Hörbuch und nicht um ein Hörspiel handelt. Bis auf eine Besetzung bleiben die Sprecher im Vergleich zum ersten Band gleich, wobei allerdings relativ viele neue Figuren ins Spiel gebracht werden. Sind es im ersten Band noch 11 (!) Sprecher und Sprecherinnen, so sind es im zweiten Teil derer 12.
Die Handlung irgendwie zusammenzufassen, ist ein wenig schwierig. Es geht mal wieder um die Kennings und der Leser erfährt viel neues zum sechsten Kenning und vielleicht sogar von einem siebten. Ich erkläre jetzt nicht, was ein Kenning ist, da dies zu umfangreich werden würde. Auch spielen die unterschiedlichen Völker eine Rolle und der Leser erfährt ein wenig über die Motivation der Knochengiganten. Zudem gibt es zahlreiche Intrigen, Wendungen und Verstrickungen.
Fazit
Ich kann mich nur wiederholen, in dem sage, dass Fintans Sage deutlich komplexer und vielschichtiger ist als der eiserne Druide und der Siegelmagier. Es braucht einiges an Konzentration, um der Geschichte zu folgen und es ist kaum möglich, sie „mal eben“ nebenher zu hören. Da werden einige Puzzleteile verloren gehen. Ich finde es immer noch sehr genial, dass hier für jede einzelne Person unterschiedliche Sprecher und Sprecherinnen die Texte eingesprochen haben. Es scheint fast so, als sei das Buch extra von Kevin Hearne so geschrieben worden, damit es so vertont wird.
April 20, 2024
I think you could have an interesting philosophical discussion about if it's possible to spoil this book. It's so boring that I'd argue you can't spoil it but in case I'm wrong I'll mark spoilers where possible.
Anyway, I didn't like it. It was a major step down from the first which I was already middling on.
The fire giant (Hathrim) invasion of Ghurana Nent storyline was wrapped up in the first book and there was no real follow on here, the consequences were explored but none had the interest of the fire giant invasion. Probably because in the first book it wasn't broadcast how things would turn out but it was obvious how the Khul Bhashab revolutionaries would fair and how Olet Kanak's expedition to found a city in the north would go. Also, in A Plague of Giants, there was some moral ambiguity between Gorin Mogen (fire giant) and Melishev Lohemet (Nentian viceroy) because they both have good goals but are bad people in execution. The Nentian revolution storyline at least is very black and white and the world conforms itself to make sure the revolutionaries stay lily white.
Anyway, so first, the framing structure falls apart here. Much less happens between Dervan the scholar and Fintan the bard in present day Bryn and the framing structure doesn't make much sense for how Fintan learns everything. I'm sure the next book will reveal he teleports everywhere or something but for now I'm skeptical as to how he he knows what an exiled viceroy thinks or how he knows what a woman was thinking of in the hours after he left her. And in between stories, barely anything happens with the framing structure except Dervan's quest to chop vegetables at the field hospital.
The logistical struggles to get food into feed all the refugees could've been interesting if it had been given any nuance or taken any struggle to address, instead it's readily solved as soon as the cause of the problem is solved.
Anyway, the plot line that annoyed me most was the Ghurana Nent revolutionaries in Khul Bhashab. The existing authorities were blatantly evil and devoid of virtue and the revolutionaries were painted as lily white so that whole storyline was annoying. There was never any tension either about how things would shake out. Even from the start, when the revolutionaries were 'struggling' they were still perfectly fine and two steps ahead of the city guard. Heck, they even have some random character actually kick off the revolution rather than the PoV character. And fortunately, the PoV character, Hanima, has control of bees, hornets and wasps so she can just quickly disable anyone that disagrees with her nonlethaly thus preserving her lily white moral purity. In the world I know, revolutions are rather nasty affairs so I'm glad the world conforms itself to keeping her hands clean.
Same thing with Olet Kanak's march north to found a city. They're going north into a forest infested with man eating monsters so you'd expect some struggle to make their way through. Nope, Abhi's got magic animal controlling powers so the monsters are a borderline non issue once he gets a chance to, I kid you not, talk to the monsters. Yes, he dissuades the monsters from eating people. Actually, I'd bet that he can magically override their instincts and compel them to his will but it's framed like he literally just asked.
I think the thing that really tipped me over over into disliking this book was how much it leaned into the idea that any problem is caused by bad people having power and the solution is putting good people in power. In Khul Bhashab, everyone's super confident that as long as they expel the corrupt government then everything will be fine. In Olet's colony, the main struggle is keeping certain people off the governing council. Similarly, in Bryn the problems are solved by bringing the force of the state to bear against troublemakers.
Add in the constant use of modern buzzwords like 'equity' and 'privilege' besides the lack of struggle for the protagonists, the black and white morality and this book really felt like a weird case of wish fulfillment.
Anyway, I didn't like it. It was a major step down from the first which I was already middling on.
The fire giant (Hathrim) invasion of Ghurana Nent storyline was wrapped up in the first book and there was no real follow on here, the consequences were explored but none had the interest of the fire giant invasion. Probably because in the first book it wasn't broadcast how things would turn out but it was obvious how the Khul Bhashab revolutionaries would fair and how Olet Kanak's expedition to found a city in the north would go. Also, in A Plague of Giants, there was some moral ambiguity between Gorin Mogen (fire giant) and Melishev Lohemet (Nentian viceroy) because they both have good goals but are bad people in execution. The Nentian revolution storyline at least is very black and white and the world conforms itself to make sure the revolutionaries stay lily white.
Anyway, so first, the framing structure falls apart here. Much less happens between Dervan the scholar and Fintan the bard in present day Bryn and the framing structure doesn't make much sense for how Fintan learns everything. I'm sure the next book will reveal he teleports everywhere or something but for now I'm skeptical as to how he he knows what an exiled viceroy thinks or how he knows what a woman was thinking of in the hours after he left her. And in between stories, barely anything happens with the framing structure except Dervan's quest to chop vegetables at the field hospital.
The logistical struggles to get food into feed all the refugees could've been interesting if it had been given any nuance or taken any struggle to address, instead it's readily solved as soon as the cause of the problem is solved.
Anyway, the plot line that annoyed me most was the Ghurana Nent revolutionaries in Khul Bhashab. The existing authorities were blatantly evil and devoid of virtue and the revolutionaries were painted as lily white so that whole storyline was annoying. There was never any tension either about how things would shake out. Even from the start, when the revolutionaries were 'struggling' they were still perfectly fine and two steps ahead of the city guard. Heck, they even have some random character actually kick off the revolution rather than the PoV character. And fortunately, the PoV character, Hanima, has control of bees, hornets and wasps so she can just quickly disable anyone that disagrees with her nonlethaly thus preserving her lily white moral purity. In the world I know, revolutions are rather nasty affairs so I'm glad the world conforms itself to keeping her hands clean.
Same thing with Olet Kanak's march north to found a city. They're going north into a forest infested with man eating monsters so you'd expect some struggle to make their way through. Nope, Abhi's got magic animal controlling powers so the monsters are a borderline non issue once he gets a chance to, I kid you not, talk to the monsters. Yes, he dissuades the monsters from eating people. Actually, I'd bet that he can magically override their instincts and compel them to his will but it's framed like he literally just asked.
I think the thing that really tipped me over over into disliking this book was how much it leaned into the idea that any problem is caused by bad people having power and the solution is putting good people in power. In Khul Bhashab, everyone's super confident that as long as they expel the corrupt government then everything will be fine. In Olet's colony, the main struggle is keeping certain people off the governing council. Similarly, in Bryn the problems are solved by bringing the force of the state to bear against troublemakers.
Add in the constant use of modern buzzwords like 'equity' and 'privilege' besides the lack of struggle for the protagonists, the black and white morality and this book really felt like a weird case of wish fulfillment.
February 27, 2020
3.5 stars Satisfying sequel to A Plague of Giants if you have just recently read that one--or have a better memory than I do, anyway. I thought Hearne could have done a better job catching the reader up a bit rather than just jumping right in. With so many characters and nations and kennings to keep up with, I had some difficulty getting into this one. However, like the first, I did enjoy the characters and the pretty amazing world-building. I didn't feel like the plot advanced much here, but the book did keep me interested in finding out what happens next, so I'll be looking for #3.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free e-ARC of this book.
April 10, 2020
This book is much better than my reading speed shows- yes it did take all 21 days of my library period to read and I cannot think of why it would, this book was exciting, answered questions from the previous book, and left me awaiting book 3.
This book picks up right where A Plague of Giants left off and follows the same style; the bard is telling stories about the Bone Giants and the world of the continent. We have some of the same narrators as in book 1 and we gain new voices here in book 2. Each character built up the world and made it come to life.
The audio narrators did a great job, it was very easy to follow when the story line moved from the past/bard tales to the present/Dervan speaking. My only issue is that sometimes I forgot the bard's tales are all in the past (because he heard the story or was there) and I start to wonder how the timeline works out
This book picks up right where A Plague of Giants left off and follows the same style; the bard is telling stories about the Bone Giants and the world of the continent. We have some of the same narrators as in book 1 and we gain new voices here in book 2. Each character built up the world and made it come to life.
The audio narrators did a great job, it was very easy to follow when the story line moved from the past/bard tales to the present/Dervan speaking. My only issue is that sometimes I forgot the bard's tales are all in the past (because he heard the story or was there) and I start to wonder how the timeline works out
May 26, 2025
All the different POVs makes it hard to flesh out characters so we're left with shallow characters. That combined with a plot less interesting than book 1 was an unfortunate combo. The revolution storyline also felt immature and handwavey. The humor was juvenile at parts too which isnt my preference. Will likely not continue the series
February 24, 2020
4.5 stars
You can read all of my reviews at https://www.NerdGirlLovesBooks.com.
Wow. What a fantastic second book in an entertaining, riveting fantasy series. I loved the first book, A Plague of Giants so much (you can read my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) that I was worried the second book would let me down. It did not.
The second book picks up shortly after the ending of the first book. The book is told in short chapters from different characters' perspectives, narrated by the bard Fintan, just like the first book. In addition to the returning characters, we are introduced to two new characters, and delve deeper into the characters wielding the sixth Kenning.
Daryck is the leader of a band of warriors whose city was decimated by the Bone Giants. They seek revenge against the giants and accept risky assignments to help the cause. I really like this new character and this band of warriors. They add a grittier fighting element to the stories and aid in expressing the sense of revenge and thirst for vengeance that all of the people that have lost their loved ones and way of life must be feeling.
Koesha is the captain of an all-female crew that is exploring unknown waters trying to find a path around the globe. Koesha is also looking for her sister, who was on a voyage two years ago and never returned home. I really like this new group of characters as well. They are a very tough crew, but add some lightness to the stories as well. There is also an element of mystery surrounding their homeland that I can't wait to find out about in the next book.
Hanima is one of the new generation of magical talents with the sixth Kenning. She can talk with animals. As she and a few others with her powers return to their home city, their presence threatens its rulers, who seek to destroy them. As she seeks to try to help those most in need in the city, she finds herself the leading a revolution. Hanima is one tough cookie, but she has a huge heart and a good head on her shoulders. She is the perfect reluctant leader of the revolution.
As the nation tries to figure out what the Bone Giants want and how to stop them, new revelations come to light and new questions emerge. Although I love the method of storytelling the author chose, and it works in this book, it's still hard sometimes to keep everything straight. This is particularly hard when events continue in the second book that first started in book one. Since I read that book so long ago, it took me awhile to figure out what was going on and why certain things had significance. It's not bad enough to quell my enjoyment of the book, and it's a similar problem in most fantasy book series that have 2-3 years in between books.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend you read it. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
You can read all of my reviews at https://www.NerdGirlLovesBooks.com.
Wow. What a fantastic second book in an entertaining, riveting fantasy series. I loved the first book, A Plague of Giants so much (you can read my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) that I was worried the second book would let me down. It did not.
The second book picks up shortly after the ending of the first book. The book is told in short chapters from different characters' perspectives, narrated by the bard Fintan, just like the first book. In addition to the returning characters, we are introduced to two new characters, and delve deeper into the characters wielding the sixth Kenning.
Daryck is the leader of a band of warriors whose city was decimated by the Bone Giants. They seek revenge against the giants and accept risky assignments to help the cause. I really like this new character and this band of warriors. They add a grittier fighting element to the stories and aid in expressing the sense of revenge and thirst for vengeance that all of the people that have lost their loved ones and way of life must be feeling.
Koesha is the captain of an all-female crew that is exploring unknown waters trying to find a path around the globe. Koesha is also looking for her sister, who was on a voyage two years ago and never returned home. I really like this new group of characters as well. They are a very tough crew, but add some lightness to the stories as well. There is also an element of mystery surrounding their homeland that I can't wait to find out about in the next book.
Hanima is one of the new generation of magical talents with the sixth Kenning. She can talk with animals. As she and a few others with her powers return to their home city, their presence threatens its rulers, who seek to destroy them. As she seeks to try to help those most in need in the city, she finds herself the leading a revolution. Hanima is one tough cookie, but she has a huge heart and a good head on her shoulders. She is the perfect reluctant leader of the revolution.
As the nation tries to figure out what the Bone Giants want and how to stop them, new revelations come to light and new questions emerge. Although I love the method of storytelling the author chose, and it works in this book, it's still hard sometimes to keep everything straight. This is particularly hard when events continue in the second book that first started in book one. Since I read that book so long ago, it took me awhile to figure out what was going on and why certain things had significance. It's not bad enough to quell my enjoyment of the book, and it's a similar problem in most fantasy book series that have 2-3 years in between books.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and highly recommend you read it. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 23, 2020
Full Disclosure, I listened to the audiobook. Kevin Hearne continues to world build with this second installment of the Seven Kennings book series. Established characters continue to be developed, with new characters not taking away from the overall themes of love, loss, war, duty, and building a better world. There are twists you don't see coming, things that you do, but overall it is a good second book in the series. My gripes are few. I would highly recommend the audiobook, as Luke Daniels again kills it.
February 4, 2020
Again, Kevin Hearne as put me through an emotional journey. After reading A Plague of Giants, I thought I would be prepared. I was not. Mr. Hearne’s masterful storytelling is ingenious, wildly inventive and so skillfully presented that this reader was blown away before being given a chance to brace against the wind.
Having read book 1 over 2 years ago, I had a bit of a struggle getting back into the story. But somehow, suddenly I was there. There are so many fascinating, colorful characters, each with unique personalities and motivations.
If you have not started this series, a little (non-spoilery) background is in order. The story centers around the tales of master storyteller Fintan, who has traveled the world to collect his stories. He remembers everything, good or bad, and weaves his stories together by taking on the persona of the person he originally heard the tale from. His voice projects over the entire town so that everyone in the harbor village of Pelemyn, which had recently survived an attack by the bone giants, can hear his songs and tales.
Fintan’s stories include tales of the bone giants, events and politics in all the surrounding areas and stories of the discovery of the 6th kenning.
Kenning’s are special paranormal talents that people may acquire by passing a test. Those that do not pass the test do not survive. Those that survived are blessed with special abilities such as Fintan’s ability to recall everything and project his storytelling voice.
As Fintan tells his story, some of his audience starts to become aware that their world is changing, even more than the changes caused by the bone giant attack. This is part of the reason I will return to this series, even if there are two years in-between books. I need to know how the world will adapt to all this fantastic knowledge! But, specifically, I have a vested interest in the characters. And I need the good ones to survive, thrive and have a HEA. That is my hope.
Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Having read book 1 over 2 years ago, I had a bit of a struggle getting back into the story. But somehow, suddenly I was there. There are so many fascinating, colorful characters, each with unique personalities and motivations.
If you have not started this series, a little (non-spoilery) background is in order. The story centers around the tales of master storyteller Fintan, who has traveled the world to collect his stories. He remembers everything, good or bad, and weaves his stories together by taking on the persona of the person he originally heard the tale from. His voice projects over the entire town so that everyone in the harbor village of Pelemyn, which had recently survived an attack by the bone giants, can hear his songs and tales.
Fintan’s stories include tales of the bone giants, events and politics in all the surrounding areas and stories of the discovery of the 6th kenning.
Kenning’s are special paranormal talents that people may acquire by passing a test. Those that do not pass the test do not survive. Those that survived are blessed with special abilities such as Fintan’s ability to recall everything and project his storytelling voice.
As Fintan tells his story, some of his audience starts to become aware that their world is changing, even more than the changes caused by the bone giant attack. This is part of the reason I will return to this series, even if there are two years in-between books. I need to know how the world will adapt to all this fantastic knowledge! But, specifically, I have a vested interest in the characters. And I need the good ones to survive, thrive and have a HEA. That is my hope.
Through Netgalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
March 17, 2020
I suggest reviewing the first book in the trilogy before starting this one. It took me quite awhile to get into the book because I didn’t remember the characters.
January 20, 2020
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for access to the eARC. I was highly anticipating the release of this book. I finished it several weeks ago and have enjoyed thinking back on it. Kevin Hearne has created a lush and vibrant world filled with mysteries that build and unfold with each page. Each chapter is told in from a shifting first person perspective. First from Dervan who tells of the current time period and his handling of the Bard Fenton, and Second from Fenton who transforms himself using his Kenning into one of the many other viewpoint characters.
This is very much the second book of a series. It lacks the endless action of the first book, but is steeped in political intrigue as the sixth kenning continues to grow and the mystery of the seventh kenning starts to unravel. The remnants of the Fire Giants move on to find their own way and new homeland., the Bone Giants continue to amass in the north, and people from a far off land are encountered. Danger comes from within as leaders try to put a stop to the formation of the sixth kenning, and danger comes from the outside as Bone Giants continue to attack and new beasts are encountered.
Kevin Hearne has the making of a special series that all readers will find something to connect with.
This is very much the second book of a series. It lacks the endless action of the first book, but is steeped in political intrigue as the sixth kenning continues to grow and the mystery of the seventh kenning starts to unravel. The remnants of the Fire Giants move on to find their own way and new homeland., the Bone Giants continue to amass in the north, and people from a far off land are encountered. Danger comes from within as leaders try to put a stop to the formation of the sixth kenning, and danger comes from the outside as Bone Giants continue to attack and new beasts are encountered.
Kevin Hearne has the making of a special series that all readers will find something to connect with.
January 29, 2020
In A Blight of Blackwings, the Raelech Bard Fintan continues his tales to the peoples congregated on Survivor Field in Pelemyn. We watch the historian Dervan wrestle with new knowledge and his role as he records Fintan's words. In this second book of the series, Hearne has polished his storytelling device and taken it to new levels. We meet and learn more about the characters of this new generation. It's a generation devastated yet also full of hope and revolutionary ideas. Each voice reacts differently to war, to grief, to love. It's masterfully done and I will impatiently await book 3.
I received an eARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for a review. The FTC wants you to know.
I received an eARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for a review. The FTC wants you to know.
March 7, 2020
The world created by Kevin Hearne in this series is brilliant and deep and fully thought out. It's truly brilliant. Every character, every country, every church and political structure is thought out to the tiniest detail.
Honestly, the only real negative of this series is that it feels more like one insanely long book and not a series of individual stories.
Honestly, the only real negative of this series is that it feels more like one insanely long book and not a series of individual stories.
December 1, 2019
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
I loved Kevin Hearne’s first book in this epic series, and the sequel lives up to all of my expectations. I needed a smidgen of time at the start to find the groove of this world, as it’s been a while since I read the first, but I soon recognized characters and immersed myself in Hearne’s incredible setting. The magic continues to fascinate me—the ‘kennings’ with their unique abilities and consequences—but the characters are what truly shine here. I’m already desperate to read the third, last book in the series.
I loved Kevin Hearne’s first book in this epic series, and the sequel lives up to all of my expectations. I needed a smidgen of time at the start to find the groove of this world, as it’s been a while since I read the first, but I soon recognized characters and immersed myself in Hearne’s incredible setting. The magic continues to fascinate me—the ‘kennings’ with their unique abilities and consequences—but the characters are what truly shine here. I’m already desperate to read the third, last book in the series.
January 18, 2020
Have you read A Plague of Giants? No? STOP! Read that first. Then come back and read this terrific sequel. Keven Hearne has created a fantastic world where anything can happen and usually does. With masterful world building, witty humor and creative politics this tale will suck you in and keep your imagination a boil. And while this tale may echo some of the headlines in todays news I can guarantee you will enjoy this story more. This is epic fantasy at its finest.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews