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The Ebon Blades #2
Grog II
The Dusmen are invading, and nothing will stop Provine Sael from leading an investigation into the many questions about the northerner’s late start, and so Grog and Burk must march north as well. With the onset of the war, both sides have stripped the border of troops, and it may well be safe for the small band to slip into enemy territory and poke into odd corners in search of the truth. The north is a little-known land, home to rumors about rivers of unmelting ice, dragons, dead cities from the dawn of time, and countless other stories which may be legend, myth, fact, or a combination of all three. Grog and Burk are free, and in the short weeks since their return to civilization, the brutes (half-Human, half-Ukar) have had to face many decisions, something neither Grog nor Burk enjoys. But on their own or with the group, they uphold the honor of the Ebon Blades, a barracks of the old school, secure in the knowledge that Master Horne expects them to do their very best.
- GenresFantasy
301 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 19, 2020
134 people are currently reading
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
February 24, 2022
I think this one was better than the first! There is more depth to the characters and I’m enjoying all of the comradery m the group. I would still love to hear more about Hunter and Torl’s past. Great series so far!
December 22, 2020
Another solid entry
Buddy action comedy. The book seems like it’s half action scenes, and half fish out of water moments with Grogs trademark naive yet insightful comments. The actual plot seems almost an afterthought, but you stay for the characters, the friendships, and Grogs pearls of wisdom.
Buddy action comedy. The book seems like it’s half action scenes, and half fish out of water moments with Grogs trademark naive yet insightful comments. The actual plot seems almost an afterthought, but you stay for the characters, the friendships, and Grogs pearls of wisdom.
April 4, 2024
Despite the title being the name of the main character, Grog (as a series) is quite an enjoyable group-focused adventure tale full of constant exploration, gory fights and endearing characters, sprinkled with some fish-out-of-water humor here and there. I've read the first three books now in 2021, and I'd say it's my favourite book series of the year.
The book(s) focus on the titular Grog, a Half-Ulkar(Half-Orc) slave raised for both gladiator and bodyguard service. Grog and his fellow gladiatorial slave, Burk, get hired by a group of adventurers on an important quest, and he quickly grows into his role as muscle and bodyguard while both learning from his new companions and maintaining his pride in his status as an elite fighter.
In the second book, we follow the group into investigating the machinations of the invading Dusmen and their savage thralls behind enemy lines. Old dark magic is discovered, as well as a plot to use it against the empire. On a more personal level a few new people joing the party, and Grog meets a lady *suggestive eye-wiggling*.
What I love about the series are four things, really:
a) The whole story is meaningful, but also a bit down to earth. The group starts with an important quest, but it is not to save the world, just to make their home, the empire, gradually a bit better. Quests later added are informed by the morals of the group, and are again about doing the right thing in the face of adversity. It is not about defeating the Dark Lord (TM) that threatens All Of The World (TM), although their exploits can affect the empire sometimes quite significantly.
b) The characters have distinct personalities, different goals, and different skills, but find a way to work together. The books have a first person protagonist (Grog), but the perspective is used mostly for humor and to contrast his musings to the rest of the group, which allows the other characters to gain a lot of definition from that comparison.
c) All characters of the group are special, but only because they put hard work into becoming that special. Noone is gifted beyond what they put blood and sweat into developing, and in fact one of the recurring themes is that nothing will change about either you or society unless you put a lot of work and discipline into it. I probably would love the books for that message alone.
d) The group rarely stays at one place for a long time (at least within the pages). As a result, there is a somewhat-consistent balance between travel and exploration, group banter, visceral action, scheming, humor and philosophical talk. Which is a nice distribution, in my book.
The book(s) focus on the titular Grog, a Half-Ulkar(Half-Orc) slave raised for both gladiator and bodyguard service. Grog and his fellow gladiatorial slave, Burk, get hired by a group of adventurers on an important quest, and he quickly grows into his role as muscle and bodyguard while both learning from his new companions and maintaining his pride in his status as an elite fighter.
In the second book, we follow the group into investigating the machinations of the invading Dusmen and their savage thralls behind enemy lines. Old dark magic is discovered, as well as a plot to use it against the empire. On a more personal level a few new people joing the party, and Grog meets a lady *suggestive eye-wiggling*.
What I love about the series are four things, really:
a) The whole story is meaningful, but also a bit down to earth. The group starts with an important quest, but it is not to save the world, just to make their home, the empire, gradually a bit better. Quests later added are informed by the morals of the group, and are again about doing the right thing in the face of adversity. It is not about defeating the Dark Lord (TM) that threatens All Of The World (TM), although their exploits can affect the empire sometimes quite significantly.
b) The characters have distinct personalities, different goals, and different skills, but find a way to work together. The books have a first person protagonist (Grog), but the perspective is used mostly for humor and to contrast his musings to the rest of the group, which allows the other characters to gain a lot of definition from that comparison.
c) All characters of the group are special, but only because they put hard work into becoming that special. Noone is gifted beyond what they put blood and sweat into developing, and in fact one of the recurring themes is that nothing will change about either you or society unless you put a lot of work and discipline into it. I probably would love the books for that message alone.
d) The group rarely stays at one place for a long time (at least within the pages). As a result, there is a somewhat-consistent balance between travel and exploration, group banter, visceral action, scheming, humor and philosophical talk. Which is a nice distribution, in my book.
November 25, 2020
Another quality work.
The second outing of Grog and company is a great novel of the old school. Mr Krpoun delivers another entertaining tale which gives Grog and Burk more room to develop. There is a decent amount of humor and plenty of action to keep the latest quest moving along. The combat scenes are extremely well written and the world's mythology is developing nicely. I really appreciated the subtle lessons being learned by our former pit fighters as they struggle with the realities of freedom. Can't wait to see the next work by this author, his stories do not disappoint.
The second outing of Grog and company is a great novel of the old school. Mr Krpoun delivers another entertaining tale which gives Grog and Burk more room to develop. There is a decent amount of humor and plenty of action to keep the latest quest moving along. The combat scenes are extremely well written and the world's mythology is developing nicely. I really appreciated the subtle lessons being learned by our former pit fighters as they struggle with the realities of freedom. Can't wait to see the next work by this author, his stories do not disappoint.
December 29, 2020
Grog - A High Rate
This is the second book following Grog. He is a highly specialized gladiator, halfbreed who has recently been freed as a slave. I think what this book gets right is the adjustment to freedom that you don’t see in an average fantasy book. Everything isn’t easy for him and his brother in arms - they are trudging through it. Same way they are in the wilds. This is less a story about the action and more about the development of Grogs character.
Rating: 4/5
Narration: N/A
Cover: 2/5
Favorite Line: don’t not cry out unless you know what will answer
This is the second book following Grog. He is a highly specialized gladiator, halfbreed who has recently been freed as a slave. I think what this book gets right is the adjustment to freedom that you don’t see in an average fantasy book. Everything isn’t easy for him and his brother in arms - they are trudging through it. Same way they are in the wilds. This is less a story about the action and more about the development of Grogs character.
Rating: 4/5
Narration: N/A
Cover: 2/5
Favorite Line: don’t not cry out unless you know what will answer
February 10, 2022
This series is surprising to me. An author of whom I've not heard, and cover art seemingly from a clip-art catalog. "Don't judge a book by its cover," they say. Very true in this case. It's professional writing combined with a likable ensemble cast of characters.
Grog's worldview is again shaken as he is exposed to a horror completely foreign to his experience... a baby girl. Laugh out loud funny at times but always heartwarming.
Grog's worldview is again shaken as he is exposed to a horror completely foreign to his experience... a baby girl. Laugh out loud funny at times but always heartwarming.
December 12, 2021
Book two does not skip a beat, the adventure continues, well done.
No second book slump here, RW continues to astound, with in depth character growth and development. Just damn good storytelling with excellent writing and pacing. Onto book 3 and hopefully more to come, really enjoying this group and their travels. Well done, RW, well met.
No second book slump here, RW continues to astound, with in depth character growth and development. Just damn good storytelling with excellent writing and pacing. Onto book 3 and hopefully more to come, really enjoying this group and their travels. Well done, RW, well met.
March 2, 2021
These are fun reads
I really enjoy these books. They are not overly complex, but have good characters that make a good team. I’ll definitely be reading the next one. Thanks for writing this book, Sir
I really enjoy these books. They are not overly complex, but have good characters that make a good team. I’ll definitely be reading the next one. Thanks for writing this book, Sir
December 26, 2020
As good as the first book
Again, I am impressed with the technical skills of describing the fight scenes. The esteemed Mr Krpoun is as good with his imagery as Grog is with his two hander. A few grammatical issues his test readers should have picked up does not detract from a book that I (same as book 1), could not put down. Now for the annoying part - waiting for the next book :)
Again, I am impressed with the technical skills of describing the fight scenes. The esteemed Mr Krpoun is as good with his imagery as Grog is with his two hander. A few grammatical issues his test readers should have picked up does not detract from a book that I (same as book 1), could not put down. Now for the annoying part - waiting for the next book :)
May 2, 2021
Grounded Fantasy
Grog lives in a world of the fantastical. He is not fantastical, he is a simple High Rate gladiator of the Ebon Blades, a proper barracks of the old school, hired to protect the leader of an adventuring group. And when you engage the Ebon Blades, you get quality work, that is the rule.
This perspective makes him an ideal narrator for outsiders like us. And the life described is worth watching.
Even more highly recommended than the first volume.
Grog lives in a world of the fantastical. He is not fantastical, he is a simple High Rate gladiator of the Ebon Blades, a proper barracks of the old school, hired to protect the leader of an adventuring group. And when you engage the Ebon Blades, you get quality work, that is the rule.
This perspective makes him an ideal narrator for outsiders like us. And the life described is worth watching.
Even more highly recommended than the first volume.
December 6, 2020
Recommended
I really like this series and hope more is coming soon. The characterizations if Grog, Provine Sael, Burk, and all the rest are great. The author really excels at making genuinely likable but nuanced characters, and generating awesome fight scenes. I hope he keeps on writing for a long tine
I really like this series and hope more is coming soon. The characterizations if Grog, Provine Sael, Burk, and all the rest are great. The author really excels at making genuinely likable but nuanced characters, and generating awesome fight scenes. I hope he keeps on writing for a long tine
December 22, 2020
Another fun ride with Grog
Its always interesting to try to see the world through someone else's eyes.
This book takes us further on Grogs journey into discovering how best to live his life outside his old barracks as his own man.
Well written and interesting take on life with very thoughtful if narrow view on battles viewed very intimately from the main characters eyes.
Its always interesting to try to see the world through someone else's eyes.
This book takes us further on Grogs journey into discovering how best to live his life outside his old barracks as his own man.
Well written and interesting take on life with very thoughtful if narrow view on battles viewed very intimately from the main characters eyes.
January 27, 2021
Thoroughly entertaining
Well paced story with good dialogue sprinkled in between action scenes. The amount of detail regarding hand-to-hand combat scenes is something many other books within this genre fall short on. Main characters and their musings are surprisingly deep and thought provoking.
All in all an excellent read. Got yourself a true fan. Thank you!
Well paced story with good dialogue sprinkled in between action scenes. The amount of detail regarding hand-to-hand combat scenes is something many other books within this genre fall short on. Main characters and their musings are surprisingly deep and thought provoking.
All in all an excellent read. Got yourself a true fan. Thank you!
November 26, 2020
More Grog, please!
I have to say, Mr. Krpoun, that you never disappoint. Grog is my favorite of all your works and you didn't disappoint in this installment. I strongly suggest that you read this novel, but be warned, it's a time thief!!
I have to say, Mr. Krpoun, that you never disappoint. Grog is my favorite of all your works and you didn't disappoint in this installment. I strongly suggest that you read this novel, but be warned, it's a time thief!!
December 11, 2020
Great Sequel
The is a great follow up to the first GROG book. The build up of the characters Grog & Burke made them more interesting. I liked that Grog meet a girl and hope for more interaction in the next book.
The is a great follow up to the first GROG book. The build up of the characters Grog & Burke made them more interesting. I liked that Grog meet a girl and hope for more interaction in the next book.
December 13, 2020
Perfect
Perhaps even better than the first. There’s a wonderful contrast between the tension of combat and unraveling what’s at stake and the very real experiences of daily life traveling and surviving. Grog is a highly interesting and relatable person.
Perhaps even better than the first. There’s a wonderful contrast between the tension of combat and unraveling what’s at stake and the very real experiences of daily life traveling and surviving. Grog is a highly interesting and relatable person.
January 10, 2021
Very nice
This one is just as good if not better then the first on the series. The small page count might seem unattractive but the pace and working make out incredibly enjoyable. Most definitely a series I will keep my eye on.
This one is just as good if not better then the first on the series. The small page count might seem unattractive but the pace and working make out incredibly enjoyable. Most definitely a series I will keep my eye on.
Read
December 23, 2022second book as good as the first. i will say this one started up a bit slower but we are i guess getting to know grog a bit better and the sidekick as well. the whole team as they are coming together are acting like good friends as well as just an adventuring team. i will keep reading. i especially like grogs repetitiveness on the ebon blades mantras... i get a smile even now just thinking of it. i will continue to read about grog as long as Krpoun keeps writing about him
December 4, 2020
Ok but not as good as the first book
Not as good as the first book but still worth reading if you liked that one.
The author needs to use "Ebon Blades a barracks of the old school" less and break it apart to not fit for a member of the old school and not fit for a member of the ebon bkades as it is coming out of Grog's mouth like words out of Hatcher's
Not as good as the first book but still worth reading if you liked that one.
The author needs to use "Ebon Blades a barracks of the old school" less and break it apart to not fit for a member of the old school and not fit for a member of the ebon bkades as it is coming out of Grog's mouth like words out of Hatcher's
January 22, 2021
Things Change, But are still the Same!
I rated this book high for two reasons. First the author with his style of writing makes it easy to get into the book. It lets you let your world dirty away and you become the story. Second I fell Grog has many of the attributes I feel that I do. So I can associate with him.All and all I can't wait for the next book.
I rated this book high for two reasons. First the author with his style of writing makes it easy to get into the book. It lets you let your world dirty away and you become the story. Second I fell Grog has many of the attributes I feel that I do. So I can associate with him.All and all I can't wait for the next book.
September 18, 2022
wonderful book
This book is not what I typically like, and it seems simply written at first, but it draws you in and I am starting book three right after this review. It has a lot of action, world is different and makes sense. Characters are well written snd Grig is just great. Read it, you will not regret it.
This book is not what I typically like, and it seems simply written at first, but it draws you in and I am starting book three right after this review. It has a lot of action, world is different and makes sense. Characters are well written snd Grig is just great. Read it, you will not regret it.
September 23, 2023
so good!
This series is my first time reading this author, and now I want to read all their stuff. The world-building is excellent but the characters are what really grab you. Grog and Burk especially are wonderful. Witnessing their road to Being Free is a joy. The humor is perfect, all the supporting characters are distinct and real. I love everything about this!
This series is my first time reading this author, and now I want to read all their stuff. The world-building is excellent but the characters are what really grab you. Grog and Burk especially are wonderful. Witnessing their road to Being Free is a joy. The humor is perfect, all the supporting characters are distinct and real. I love everything about this!
September 16, 2024
Gritty and enjoyable. Low fantasy fiction. The characters are thought out, each has their own motivations. Grog is especially engaging. He is snow and straight forward, but still waters run deep. As you get to know Grog, it becomes apparent that his simple thoughts conflicted with what he encounters, allows the author to say more than straight exposition.
February 6, 2021
An enjoyable slice of life tale with good action to boot
A satisfying story of a warrior who in D&D would be low INT, but who is relatable and engaging. This is a good book to read by a fire on a cold day — warming, calming, and just spicy enough to keep you happy.
A satisfying story of a warrior who in D&D would be low INT, but who is relatable and engaging. This is a good book to read by a fire on a cold day — warming, calming, and just spicy enough to keep you happy.
May 29, 2021
A High Rate of the Ebon Blades
Grog and his companions grab you and take you on an adventure that will have you wanting more. Well written with good character development. I look forward to Book 3.
Grog and his companions grab you and take you on an adventure that will have you wanting more. Well written with good character development. I look forward to Book 3.
October 10, 2021
Very good book
This is a fine fantasy novel. The main character is unique as a somewhat dimwitted, but wise, half human brute. The conversations he has with the infant are priceless.
This is a fine fantasy novel. The main character is unique as a somewhat dimwitted, but wise, half human brute. The conversations he has with the infant are priceless.
September 11, 2024
grog 2
Interesting storyline with lots of twists and action. The characters have their idiosyncrasies that are amusing and continue to grow as the stories unfold. I will be reading the third install
Interesting storyline with lots of twists and action. The characters have their idiosyncrasies that are amusing and continue to grow as the stories unfold. I will be reading the third install
December 1, 2020
Solid
Straight forward storyline, love the development of main character. You can tell that he is developing his personality over the two books.
Straight forward storyline, love the development of main character. You can tell that he is developing his personality over the two books.
December 13, 2020
Really good.
The MC and his buddy are such not typical mcs that its amazing. If you're looking for something different yet amazing. Read this series.
The MC and his buddy are such not typical mcs that its amazing. If you're looking for something different yet amazing. Read this series.
December 21, 2020
Good read
This is a good book. Read it... or not but now I'm just writing to get my word count up. Grog is right, writing is hard.
This is a good book. Read it... or not but now I'm just writing to get my word count up. Grog is right, writing is hard.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews