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The Chronicles of Breed #5
No Good Deed
After half-killing Mother Blake's murderer, Breed is obliged to repay a debt to a powerful Prince of the Midnight Court.
Armed with little more than a bad attitude, and partnered with a feckless sorcerer and an arrogant, gang enforcer, Breed sets sail for the land of Voskva.
They say, no good deed goes unpunished.
And damn them, they were right.
Armed with little more than a bad attitude, and partnered with a feckless sorcerer and an arrogant, gang enforcer, Breed sets sail for the land of Voskva.
They say, no good deed goes unpunished.
And damn them, they were right.
- GenresFantasy
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2021
About the author
K.T. Davies
22 books185 followersI was born in Yorkshire. I have a degree in literature and a modest comic collection. I share my life with an understanding partner, two savage children, three silly dogs, and an angry cat. I’ve lived in t’north and the Republic of China but currently reside in suburban bliss in the West Midlands.
I’ve worked as an actor, a teacher, and a scaffolder amongst many other things. Until recently I made theatrical props for a living. Have a look at www.antrobusandgrimm.co.uk to see how I (used to)roll.
I’m a nerd and proud, and play with swords and other pointy things from time to time as well as 'puter games.
Pointless trivia bit:
I once fell down the highest mountain in Taiwan and was led to safety by a couple of tribesmen in exchange for some cigarettes. I have also been taught how to wrestle by ‘Crybaby’ Jim Breaks.
I’ve worked as an actor, a teacher, and a scaffolder amongst many other things. Until recently I made theatrical props for a living. Have a look at www.antrobusandgrimm.co.uk to see how I (used to)roll.
I’m a nerd and proud, and play with swords and other pointy things from time to time as well as 'puter games.
Pointless trivia bit:
I once fell down the highest mountain in Taiwan and was led to safety by a couple of tribesmen in exchange for some cigarettes. I have also been taught how to wrestle by ‘Crybaby’ Jim Breaks.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 17, 2025
Following on seamlessly from the last book is yet another imagination inspiring story and sticks to the same gritty, sharp style as the earlier ones. Breed is still a sarcastic, violent, and morally questionable being, however he's been around the block a bit as we northerners like to say and I feel he's really developed in his personality over the past books.
”It might seem a trivial matter, but small things like hot chai on a cold day are important. It’s not all fighting dragons and stealing rare artifacts.” - Breed
It’s a fast paced one but not as much so as the others. The action is brutal when it needs to be, but there’s some great character storylines and humour that stop it from being just fight after fight. The world remains dark and unforgiving, full of betrayal and shifting alliances, which makes it feel unpredictable but exciting at the same time.
The story moves focus from place to place with ease and I thought it had an almost Baltic feel to the areas mainly due to the names of the places and people and also the way the terrain and weather conditions are described. I got cold just reading it..
I loved the characters in this story both recurring from the last to the new which were very imaginative and fitted wonderfully with the places described especially the different types of monsters for want of a better word. Breed of course is Breed which I love more every time I get into a new book he’s come so far and has changed emotionally at least..
”They say you shouldn’t kick a man when he’s down, but if you ask me, that’s the best time to hurt someone who has offended you.” - Breed
If you’ve read the previous books, this one keeps the tone consistent while digging a little deeper still into Breed’s character. It isn’t light reading, but if you like morally grey anti-heroes and a fantasy world that doesn’t pull its punches, this book delivers. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to the final one which feels like it’s going to be something special..
”It might seem a trivial matter, but small things like hot chai on a cold day are important. It’s not all fighting dragons and stealing rare artifacts.” - Breed
It’s a fast paced one but not as much so as the others. The action is brutal when it needs to be, but there’s some great character storylines and humour that stop it from being just fight after fight. The world remains dark and unforgiving, full of betrayal and shifting alliances, which makes it feel unpredictable but exciting at the same time.
The story moves focus from place to place with ease and I thought it had an almost Baltic feel to the areas mainly due to the names of the places and people and also the way the terrain and weather conditions are described. I got cold just reading it..
I loved the characters in this story both recurring from the last to the new which were very imaginative and fitted wonderfully with the places described especially the different types of monsters for want of a better word. Breed of course is Breed which I love more every time I get into a new book he’s come so far and has changed emotionally at least..
”They say you shouldn’t kick a man when he’s down, but if you ask me, that’s the best time to hurt someone who has offended you.” - Breed
If you’ve read the previous books, this one keeps the tone consistent while digging a little deeper still into Breed’s character. It isn’t light reading, but if you like morally grey anti-heroes and a fantasy world that doesn’t pull its punches, this book delivers. I really enjoyed this story and look forward to the final one which feels like it’s going to be something special..
September 13, 2021
A mixed bag for me.
I’m a big fan of the character, Breed, the half human - half ‘war spawn’, created by KT Davies. Aggressive, tough, sarcastic, foul mouthed and with just a touch of decency on occasion when confronted by the helpless or hapless. Whose sex is indeterminate and irrelevant in any case.
But the plot in this book wasn’t so much to my taste. I found it a bit disjointed. While Breed has some interesting adventures, and the chance to show his admirable qualities, it did seem that the tune he was dancing to, and he is literally under the influence of others for periods in this story, was linked to a plot I found tough to follow, and unsure how it was related to the previous volume. For example, a serious villain who Breed has vowed to pursue and kill in #4 is mentioned but doesn’t make an appearance. So we have a whole bunch of other villains annoying Breed who it seems take us in another direction (as far as I can tell).
I hanker back to the first three books, which formed a more tightly plotted trilogy, and in fact showed a life lived from youth to old age. Book 4 gave Breed a ‘reboot’, a new life in a parallel world. A bit artificial but soap operas do it all the time and Breed as a character deserved more stories to be told about him! But this new series from #4, and now this book, #5, haven’t gripped me plot wise.
And another thing! As with 75% of the fantasy series I read this volume could have benefitted from just a page summary of events from the previous volume. After reading the first few pages I found I had to skim back through the ending of #4 to remind myself. There isn’t a big overlap between the plot in #4 and #5 but I needed to remind myself of that, and a few other issues and names.
So, in summary I generally enjoyed the book, an easy fun read, a gritty adventure, buoyed up by Breed’s irrepressible character, but I didn’t find the plot so interesting. Probably a 3.5* for me.
I’m a big fan of the character, Breed, the half human - half ‘war spawn’, created by KT Davies. Aggressive, tough, sarcastic, foul mouthed and with just a touch of decency on occasion when confronted by the helpless or hapless. Whose sex is indeterminate and irrelevant in any case.
But the plot in this book wasn’t so much to my taste. I found it a bit disjointed. While Breed has some interesting adventures, and the chance to show his admirable qualities, it did seem that the tune he was dancing to, and he is literally under the influence of others for periods in this story, was linked to a plot I found tough to follow, and unsure how it was related to the previous volume. For example, a serious villain who Breed has vowed to pursue and kill in #4 is mentioned but doesn’t make an appearance. So we have a whole bunch of other villains annoying Breed who it seems take us in another direction (as far as I can tell).
I hanker back to the first three books, which formed a more tightly plotted trilogy, and in fact showed a life lived from youth to old age. Book 4 gave Breed a ‘reboot’, a new life in a parallel world. A bit artificial but soap operas do it all the time and Breed as a character deserved more stories to be told about him! But this new series from #4, and now this book, #5, haven’t gripped me plot wise.
And another thing! As with 75% of the fantasy series I read this volume could have benefitted from just a page summary of events from the previous volume. After reading the first few pages I found I had to skim back through the ending of #4 to remind myself. There isn’t a big overlap between the plot in #4 and #5 but I needed to remind myself of that, and a few other issues and names.
So, in summary I generally enjoyed the book, an easy fun read, a gritty adventure, buoyed up by Breed’s irrepressible character, but I didn’t find the plot so interesting. Probably a 3.5* for me.
November 10, 2021
I really like the writing style of K.T. Davies which is often humorous and witty just like in the previous books. She didn't lost her edge.
I also like the main character Breed but unfortunately Breed in this book is almost always under the influence of others so he can't really unfold and do what he does best which made the first three books really shining.
Also I really miss a glossary/appendix from these books which would collect the characters and places because sometimes names are mentioned which I no longer recognize and I have a hard time remembering who/what he is talking about.
There is no fandom page for this series so it would help a lot.
Overall it's a 4* for me but I will definitely read the next book when it comes out.
I also like the main character Breed but unfortunately Breed in this book is almost always under the influence of others so he can't really unfold and do what he does best which made the first three books really shining.
Also I really miss a glossary/appendix from these books which would collect the characters and places because sometimes names are mentioned which I no longer recognize and I have a hard time remembering who/what he is talking about.
There is no fandom page for this series so it would help a lot.
Overall it's a 4* for me but I will definitely read the next book when it comes out.
September 16, 2023
I'm always happy to see Breed again! I loved Ockzar and I hope he'll be in the next book.
November 8, 2022
Breed is back and yet again, he's not quite himself, but this time he has a blood sucking Prince of the Midnight Court to thank for that as well as Swann being a bit of Cull!
Meet Nic, half man, half rat, complete ar@e!
Meet Ockzar, who befriends Breed in prison and sticks around much to Breed's annoyance and also, well I wouldn't say his delight, but he keeps him around and puts up with him, which is a heck of a lot more than he does for most people.
Our intrepid anti-heroes(Read villains and general cursing culls!) have a mission, to retrieve the Vascellum from Voskva, easy you'd think for three powerful and slightly psychotic criminals and indebted. But alas no - well for them and Yay for us!
We have another action filled, swearing, death defying ride and Breed is going at it, headlong as always.
Keep them coming K.T!
Meet Nic, half man, half rat, complete ar@e!
Meet Ockzar, who befriends Breed in prison and sticks around much to Breed's annoyance and also, well I wouldn't say his delight, but he keeps him around and puts up with him, which is a heck of a lot more than he does for most people.
Our intrepid anti-heroes(Read villains and general cursing culls!) have a mission, to retrieve the Vascellum from Voskva, easy you'd think for three powerful and slightly psychotic criminals and indebted. But alas no - well for them and Yay for us!
We have another action filled, swearing, death defying ride and Breed is going at it, headlong as always.
Keep them coming K.T!
September 27, 2021
Breed!
It felt more like a sideways move in the plot rather than progressing forwards, but I absolutely love Breed and everything that he does. He got into really bad situations far too many times in this story but it does show his vulnerability and dependence on others which isn't necessarily a bad thing - Ockzar was a great character and I would love to see more of him. I am really looking forward to the next instalment. x
It felt more like a sideways move in the plot rather than progressing forwards, but I absolutely love Breed and everything that he does. He got into really bad situations far too many times in this story but it does show his vulnerability and dependence on others which isn't necessarily a bad thing - Ockzar was a great character and I would love to see more of him. I am really looking forward to the next instalment. x
September 14, 2021
Breed doing Breed stuff
It's always a lot of fun reading Breed doing Breed stuff. I wish there was a short prologue to cap the events the story until now. Looking forward to the next book however long it takes.
It's always a lot of fun reading Breed doing Breed stuff. I wish there was a short prologue to cap the events the story until now. Looking forward to the next book however long it takes.
September 13, 2021
Candy
Unadulterated, candy. Completely unable to put it down till the last page. On par with the best of Sanderson, Abercrombie etc.
Unadulterated, candy. Completely unable to put it down till the last page. On par with the best of Sanderson, Abercrombie etc.
September 25, 2021
A most excellent, fun, read.
Another fun packed, fight filled, twice cursed adventure. Incredibly enjoyable, can’t wait to see what the vicious cove, Breed, gets up to next.
Another fun packed, fight filled, twice cursed adventure. Incredibly enjoyable, can’t wait to see what the vicious cove, Breed, gets up to next.
December 11, 2021
Funny, well written. A great story teller. " Pratchett meets Deadpool" is about right.
December 17, 2021
Awesome as usual!
A mix of gangsters and Lord or the Rings with a touch of the 80s adventure. Love all of these books. Often find myself laughing out loud!
A mix of gangsters and Lord or the Rings with a touch of the 80s adventure. Love all of these books. Often find myself laughing out loud!
September 22, 2022
Really good read
Have read the series so far, and the books just get better.
Looking forward to the next in the series.
Have read the series so far, and the books just get better.
Looking forward to the next in the series.
March 2, 2023
Great narrator and dialogue
March 29, 2024
This series is not only top shelf queer fantasy, it's some of the best, most imaginative, and simply *fun* fantasy I have read. Ever. (and, mind you, I do read quite a lot of it)
Quick disclaimer: K.T. did not assign Breed a sex on purpose, leaving it up to the reader. Well, my Breed (my imagination's Breed?) is a he, it's all I can think of him as and within the review will refer to him as such. So please don't mind it and apologies if my use of defined pronouns throws you for a loop as that's not my intention.
And that's what I would have said before I started this latest volume of Breed's adventures. Because now, NOW, after 4 books of Breed gaining - and losing - things left and right, we are finally able to see him actually, honestly obtain something - some*one* - a person, a real companion with whom he can (maybe, probably, if he's lucky) share his life. And it's quite literally the last person you'd think, but then as things develop, you - just like Breed - start to see it, and that's it. And by the gods, it's perfect! I swear,if the last book does not let the pair of them have a proper "romance" (I say "" because assuming such as it can be with Breed) and grow old (well, old*er* in Breed's case) together, happy as can be, I'm going to riot! Not sure what that entails, exactly, but I'm certainly going to side eye the whole series (which currently sits slap in the middle of the honour shelf of my bookcase, along with Hobb, Morgan, Tolkien, Flewelling and Lawrence) furiously, I can tell you that!
..But let's circle back to the actualy book.
For me personally, reading book 4 was hard. Hard because it was painful - gutwrenchingly at times - to watch Breed, after all he's been through, lose things. And I don't even mean physical things like Volund's sword or magic itself. I mean dignity, sense of self-worth - because those are the things that were ultimately symbolised by his dragon form, by his sorcery. Not power by itself, not his "fake" play at beiong a hero (as he himself liked to think), but his capacity to both save literal worlds and make a person smile. The awareness that he is more than a meaningless sewer-raised thief with no honour or conscience, that he, too, deserves to live. That he indeed should expect to be able drop his guard down without expecting to be punched, or killed for his trouble.
That's why starting book 5 I admit I was weary - I was afraid the punches would just keep on coming, that Breed would just continue suffering forever, sacrificing himself with no one being the wiser, or indeed no one caring about it. About Breed. There were a lot of times I wishes so hard he could just change into a dragon again and just lay waste to it all, fly away and live the rest of his life as a dragon, far away from all that filth. And when the things were looking really down, that's when a ray of sunshine showed. A person. A person who - without me noticing - grew from a third plan character, to a second and then I suddenly realized that Breed actually strated to care for that person! And - hold on - that I actually care about that strange person as well! It's like K.T. is a magician and from the most unlikely, unnoticeable of hats, they were able to pull out not just a rabbit, but whole hecking unicorn shitting glitter, too! My mind is blown utterly and completely.
I kind of regret re-reading the books now (last time I read them there were only 3 of them!), because the wait to read this last book will be murderous. It already is and I'm barely an hour post last page as I write this!
Seriously though, if you're on the fence - read this series, it's wonderful. There's so much levity, mirth, intermingled with so much pain, so much quiet - hidden even - dignity, sorrow and oh, so much anger masking it all. And through it all, through all the life experiences, strange powers (and curses), countless deaths, hard earnd triumphs and hard-hitting sacrifices, in this penultimate book we're given hope. Breed is given hope. Hope - however small - in a future where something more than killing and anger is possible. And oh I'm here for it!
I'd like to thank K.T. for taking us on this most wonderful of journeys. There's few characters I love as much as I love Breed and I can't wait to read book 6!
Quick disclaimer: K.T. did not assign Breed a sex on purpose, leaving it up to the reader. Well, my Breed (my imagination's Breed?) is a he, it's all I can think of him as and within the review will refer to him as such. So please don't mind it and apologies if my use of defined pronouns throws you for a loop as that's not my intention.
And that's what I would have said before I started this latest volume of Breed's adventures. Because now, NOW, after 4 books of Breed gaining - and losing - things left and right, we are finally able to see him actually, honestly obtain something - some*one* - a person, a real companion with whom he can (maybe, probably, if he's lucky) share his life. And it's quite literally the last person you'd think, but then as things develop, you - just like Breed - start to see it, and that's it. And by the gods, it's perfect! I swear,if the last book does not let the pair of them have a proper "romance" (I say "" because assuming such as it can be with Breed) and grow old (well, old*er* in Breed's case) together, happy as can be, I'm going to riot! Not sure what that entails, exactly, but I'm certainly going to side eye the whole series (which currently sits slap in the middle of the honour shelf of my bookcase, along with Hobb, Morgan, Tolkien, Flewelling and Lawrence) furiously, I can tell you that!
..But let's circle back to the actualy book.
For me personally, reading book 4 was hard. Hard because it was painful - gutwrenchingly at times - to watch Breed, after all he's been through, lose things. And I don't even mean physical things like Volund's sword or magic itself. I mean dignity, sense of self-worth - because those are the things that were ultimately symbolised by his dragon form, by his sorcery. Not power by itself, not his "fake" play at beiong a hero (as he himself liked to think), but his capacity to both save literal worlds and make a person smile. The awareness that he is more than a meaningless sewer-raised thief with no honour or conscience, that he, too, deserves to live. That he indeed should expect to be able drop his guard down without expecting to be punched, or killed for his trouble.
That's why starting book 5 I admit I was weary - I was afraid the punches would just keep on coming, that Breed would just continue suffering forever, sacrificing himself with no one being the wiser, or indeed no one caring about it. About Breed. There were a lot of times I wishes so hard he could just change into a dragon again and just lay waste to it all, fly away and live the rest of his life as a dragon, far away from all that filth. And when the things were looking really down, that's when a ray of sunshine showed. A person. A person who - without me noticing - grew from a third plan character, to a second and then I suddenly realized that Breed actually strated to care for that person! And - hold on - that I actually care about that strange person as well! It's like K.T. is a magician and from the most unlikely, unnoticeable of hats, they were able to pull out not just a rabbit, but whole hecking unicorn shitting glitter, too! My mind is blown utterly and completely.
I kind of regret re-reading the books now (last time I read them there were only 3 of them!), because the wait to read this last book will be murderous. It already is and I'm barely an hour post last page as I write this!
Seriously though, if you're on the fence - read this series, it's wonderful. There's so much levity, mirth, intermingled with so much pain, so much quiet - hidden even - dignity, sorrow and oh, so much anger masking it all. And through it all, through all the life experiences, strange powers (and curses), countless deaths, hard earnd triumphs and hard-hitting sacrifices, in this penultimate book we're given hope. Breed is given hope. Hope - however small - in a future where something more than killing and anger is possible. And oh I'm here for it!
I'd like to thank K.T. for taking us on this most wonderful of journeys. There's few characters I love as much as I love Breed and I can't wait to read book 6!
October 17, 2026
I really wish I'd written a review immediately after finishing this one as there is so much to say about each novel of this consistently excellent series.
Been too busy to spend much time on GR, unfortunately.
I suppose if you have continued to read this far into the series you are already hooked and anything I say will be unnecessary.
A wonderfully fresh (to me) set of fantasy stories.
Been too busy to spend much time on GR, unfortunately.
I suppose if you have continued to read this far into the series you are already hooked and anything I say will be unnecessary.
A wonderfully fresh (to me) set of fantasy stories.
June 11, 2024
A good chuckle
I do enjoy Breed, completely inappropriate, full of midlands curse and slang, a daft romp but always compulsive reading- if nothing else to see what befalls our beloved anti-hero next.
I do enjoy Breed, completely inappropriate, full of midlands curse and slang, a daft romp but always compulsive reading- if nothing else to see what befalls our beloved anti-hero next.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews