What do you think?
Rate this book
Quenched in Blood: A Valhalla Steel Novel
Twilight City hosts over a hundred million souls, most held beneath the heel of the global empire, Tenocore. After suffering a bitter defeat in Europe, Angus Jarlson, the Glade Burner, has brought the Old Gods and what remains of his once mighty empire of Valhalla Steel, across the ocean to stake a claim in the megacity and begin to rebuild. Yet the long-lived Fae despise the Glade Burner and will muster their might and magic to destroy what remains of Angus and his clansmen.
When vengeance and duty to family collide, violence ensues. The question is not only which side will be victorious, but will either remain standing at all?
When vengeance and duty to family collide, violence ensues. The question is not only which side will be victorious, but will either remain standing at all?
336 pages, Paperback
Published July 12, 2021
5 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 23, 2024
I had a blast reading Quenched in blood and anyone looking for an action packed fantasy/sci-fi book, that also offers some great character moments and bigger than life heroes is also going to greatly enjoy this.
Having read and enjoyed the prequel novella Valhalla Steel I was eager to revisit the world and boy it didn't disappoint. After a slower than I expected first 20% (which I guess sets up the world for those who haven't read the prequel), everything kicks into gear and it doesn't stop until the last page. There are a lot of characters to follow and almost everyone is well developed and different enough to keep things interesting.
The action is part Matrix (net reality warriors), part blockbuster-movie mayhem and all of it is top notch.
The plot doesn't brake any new ground. In fact some moments were a bit too familiar/predictable but still managed to hit the emotional spot for me. I would strongly advice though to read the novella first, because it will make it much easier to follow what's going on and the enjoyment level will be much higher.
Having read and enjoyed the prequel novella Valhalla Steel I was eager to revisit the world and boy it didn't disappoint. After a slower than I expected first 20% (which I guess sets up the world for those who haven't read the prequel), everything kicks into gear and it doesn't stop until the last page. There are a lot of characters to follow and almost everyone is well developed and different enough to keep things interesting.
The action is part Matrix (net reality warriors), part blockbuster-movie mayhem and all of it is top notch.
The plot doesn't brake any new ground. In fact some moments were a bit too familiar/predictable but still managed to hit the emotional spot for me. I would strongly advice though to read the novella first, because it will make it much easier to follow what's going on and the enjoyment level will be much higher.
July 21, 2021
Quenched In Blood is a direct sequel to Valhalla Steel and events carry on almost without a pause. Norse mythology, the Fae, guns and magic all mixed together and delivered with the authors now familiar muscular prose make for an exciting read. This is Grimdark and then some with death, destruction, bad language and drug use throughout the book, but handled in an expert fashion. The Characters are believable and well written, you really root for the clan, you can't help yourself, loyalty begets loyalty after all. Angus is an amazing character, but I must admit standout for me is the old Thane Yuri and his so cool cybernetic arm! The action sequences are hard, fast, violent and sublime I felt I was almost right there!
All in all this is not only a fantastic sequel but a fantastic read in its own right. Definitely recommended.
All in all this is not only a fantastic sequel but a fantastic read in its own right. Definitely recommended.
July 14, 2021
Fantastic blend of Viking culture, cyberpunk and grimdark.
As above there is a great blend of a few different elements in this book, as a fan of Viking historical fiction, the video game series Deus Ex and grimdark fiction, I thought Mr Crow did a damn fine job of fitting all these different genres together into one world. Following along from that, the mix of ancient magic and future tech was really cool and inventive.
We follow a few main characters, each has their own unique journey. He interweaves their own personal struggles for each within the overall story of Quenched in Blood really well.
The battles in this book are thrilling, bloody and have high consequences.
All in all, a great grimdark/cyberpunk/viking influenced book.
As above there is a great blend of a few different elements in this book, as a fan of Viking historical fiction, the video game series Deus Ex and grimdark fiction, I thought Mr Crow did a damn fine job of fitting all these different genres together into one world. Following along from that, the mix of ancient magic and future tech was really cool and inventive.
We follow a few main characters, each has their own unique journey. He interweaves their own personal struggles for each within the overall story of Quenched in Blood really well.
The battles in this book are thrilling, bloody and have high consequences.
All in all, a great grimdark/cyberpunk/viking influenced book.
July 15, 2021
I was a beta-reader for an early draft of this book, and it is awesome!
Crow does a fantastic job of melding magic and machine in this dystopian alternate reality, were the gods of the old world are real and there are ghosts in the wires. Filled with politics, action and suspense, this direct sequel to the stories of his Valhalla Steel collection, and I urge anyone with a love of Norse mythology and cyber-punk to give it ago.
I truly believe Crow is onto something here and I can't wait to read more.
Crow does a fantastic job of melding magic and machine in this dystopian alternate reality, were the gods of the old world are real and there are ghosts in the wires. Filled with politics, action and suspense, this direct sequel to the stories of his Valhalla Steel collection, and I urge anyone with a love of Norse mythology and cyber-punk to give it ago.
I truly believe Crow is onto something here and I can't wait to read more.
May 13, 2022
Cyberpunk meets Bright
I have to preface this review by saying that I'm not a huge sci-fi fan. I hate Star Wars and Star Trek; I hate overly complicated technology, and I absolutely detest most world-building in sci-fi novels. I'm a simple man. I like my heroes to wield swords and slay dragons. However, after reading Quenched in Blood, I must admit that I believe I might be warming up to the genre (if you can even call it that). The thing that makes this book so unique is that I struggle to classify it into one genre. To me, the cyberpunk elements would classify it as a sci-fi book. However, there are a lot of fantasy elements present in the story that contradict that classification. The only thing regarding the genre that I know about this book is that it is dark, which is just how I like it.
The story follows a "gang" (if you can call it that) called Valhalla Steel as they try to assert themselves as a major power after a recent fall from grace. However, they soon learn that establishing yourself as a major player in Twilight City results in having a sizeable bounty on your head and having more enemies than friends.
I loved this book. I have been in a reading slump for the last few months and I thought this might be another book that I would have to grind to get through, but that was not the case. After about 150 pages, the story leapt off of the pages and I found myself thinking about the story and what would happen to the characters that I had grown so attached to. Crow expertly toes the line between grim and wholesome moments and strikes a breathtaking balance between the two. He is not afraid to paint a grotesque, gore-filled scene that will make your stomach churn, but will also sprinkle in a few heart-warming moments to give you some reprieve from the slaughter. The ending was the perfect literary crescendo that too few authors often cannot execute (myself included), but Crow performed flawlessly. I am so excited to see what happens next in the Valhalla Steel saga!
I have to preface this review by saying that I'm not a huge sci-fi fan. I hate Star Wars and Star Trek; I hate overly complicated technology, and I absolutely detest most world-building in sci-fi novels. I'm a simple man. I like my heroes to wield swords and slay dragons. However, after reading Quenched in Blood, I must admit that I believe I might be warming up to the genre (if you can even call it that). The thing that makes this book so unique is that I struggle to classify it into one genre. To me, the cyberpunk elements would classify it as a sci-fi book. However, there are a lot of fantasy elements present in the story that contradict that classification. The only thing regarding the genre that I know about this book is that it is dark, which is just how I like it.
The story follows a "gang" (if you can call it that) called Valhalla Steel as they try to assert themselves as a major power after a recent fall from grace. However, they soon learn that establishing yourself as a major player in Twilight City results in having a sizeable bounty on your head and having more enemies than friends.
I loved this book. I have been in a reading slump for the last few months and I thought this might be another book that I would have to grind to get through, but that was not the case. After about 150 pages, the story leapt off of the pages and I found myself thinking about the story and what would happen to the characters that I had grown so attached to. Crow expertly toes the line between grim and wholesome moments and strikes a breathtaking balance between the two. He is not afraid to paint a grotesque, gore-filled scene that will make your stomach churn, but will also sprinkle in a few heart-warming moments to give you some reprieve from the slaughter. The ending was the perfect literary crescendo that too few authors often cannot execute (myself included), but Crow performed flawlessly. I am so excited to see what happens next in the Valhalla Steel saga!
August 20, 2022
At first glance, Sean Crow’s 2021 cyberpunk fantasy novel Quenched in Blood is a flashy, violent affair. This tale revolves around gang warfare, focussing on a group of Norse gunrunners known as Valhalla Steel, led by their Jarl, Angus Jarlson. Having been driven out of their native Norway after incurring the wrath of a magical race known as the Fae, Valhalla Steel have fallen on hard times and are seeking to rebuild themselves in America, carving out a place for themselves in the sprawling Twilight City.
The setting of Twilight City has strong sci-fi influences and readers will be able to pick up various nods to classics such as Bladerunner, Terminator, The Matrix and Altered Carbon in the imagery and ideas used by Crow. Probably the closest comparison is Judge Dredd’s post-apocalyptic world of Mega-City One in the 2000 AD comics. However, Crow takes that concept of the police as judge, jury and executioner and amps it up with his truly terrifying creation of the cyborg Justicars, who are unswervingly loyal to the Tenocore Company, which runs everything in Twilight City. Virtually unstoppable ten-foot-tall machines, they enforce the law with a shoot to kill policy, using a variety of deadly weapons.
With its intense gun battles, car chases and brutal hand to hand combat, melded together with Fae magic and Norse mythology, this novel is a thrilling, unpredictable ride from start to finish. There’s plenty of action, building up to a fantastic climax and in terms of pure entertainment the novel really delivers on that count.
However, this isn’t just about cheap thrills – there’s a lot more beneath the surface. This is a labour of love and the worldbuilding here is simply incredible. Quenched in Blood reads like an alternative future history of Earth, where familiar countries and places exist, such as America, Russia, Rome and Norway, although some have been wiped out by orbital nuclear bombardment. This is a world featuring fantasy races (trolls, the fae, Jontun, cyclops), where magic and technology have been brought together to create deadly weapons. Whilst the history of the world, as we know it now, has occurred, in Crow’s version all this has been intertwined with fantastical elements.
The other great strength of Crow’s writing is his ability to bring a variety of disparate and often unlikable characters to life on the page. There’s no obvious hero here and the format involves various POV characters and several interlinked but separate storylines.
This certainly isn’t a struggle between good and evil – more a case of a fight for survival and dominance, using whatever means necessary to prevail. For example, whilst Valhalla Steel operate within a strict code of honour system, for them glory in combat is everything as they strive to be worthy to join Odin in Valhalla. Valhalla Steel are really a group of religious zealots, where the manner of their own death is more important than the suffering they cause to others. Their leader, Angus, reflects this, with his many flaws on full display:
“Helen watched him for a time. Some men were addicted to chems, others to pills or alcohol. Angus’ vice was hatred, and she wasn’t sure he’d ever break himself of it. He despised the Fae. It was, in her mind, his greatest weakness. It drove him to act in a way that broke from his normally calm and calculated manner, tainting his decisions with an almost blind rage.”
If this novel had just been about Angus, I think it would have been tough going. However, there are so many standout characters in this story and Crow’s gift is he makes you care about all of them.
Helen's relationship with a tortured Angus works really well. As I’ve mentioned, he's an interesting character who is very morally conflicted and his past blinds him. Helen’s struggle is trying to make Angus see there could be more to their life together.
His Thane, Yuri, lives on out of loyalty to Angus, his body augmented so he's half human, half fighting machine. Yet he’s also kind and considerate in his own way, for example helping Sigurd deal with the death of her brother:
“It is no easy task and some never learn to let it go. They bind their loved ones, hiding them so the Valkyrie cannot find their soul."
We also have Tiam, a paraplegic ‘net runner’ who fights his own wars through technology and linking his consciousness to the Net. The development of his relationship with Sigurd and the impact his disability has on this is handled very well. We also have the concept of the Net itself which, whilst clearly drawing inspiration from The Matrix, later moves in a very interesting direction.
The Fae called Ahearn is probably the closest thing to an antagonist in this novel, although again things are not that simple. Ahearn is appointed as a champion for the Fae, involving him having an odd symbiotic relationship with his 'Guardian', who gives him magical power but at considerable cost. There are parallels here to Ahearn’s past as a drug addict, which he struggles to break free from.
For those wanting to explore this world further, a novella, entitled Valhalla Steel, was released in 2020. This is where I started with Crow’s writing, although I think you could read these books in either order. The novella is really a proof-of-concept creation and the short form was almost groaning under the weight of all Crow’s ideas. In Quenched in Blood, the expanded novel format works really well, although this is still a relatively short book considering all the ground it covers.
I have to be honest, I’m surprised this book hasn’t already found itself a much wider audience because I really enjoyed this. I think this is in part because it’s very different to anything else I’ve read and is rather difficult to classify. I think if you like sci-fi or fantasy you would enjoy the Valhalla Steel universe. With his well-crafted characters, each with their own detailed history and motivations, Crow draws you into an amazing fantasy world. If you pick up this book you’re in for an exciting, action-packed adventure. This series really is brilliant and there’s lots of potential and fascinating possibilities to come in terms of where Crow takes this next.
The setting of Twilight City has strong sci-fi influences and readers will be able to pick up various nods to classics such as Bladerunner, Terminator, The Matrix and Altered Carbon in the imagery and ideas used by Crow. Probably the closest comparison is Judge Dredd’s post-apocalyptic world of Mega-City One in the 2000 AD comics. However, Crow takes that concept of the police as judge, jury and executioner and amps it up with his truly terrifying creation of the cyborg Justicars, who are unswervingly loyal to the Tenocore Company, which runs everything in Twilight City. Virtually unstoppable ten-foot-tall machines, they enforce the law with a shoot to kill policy, using a variety of deadly weapons.
With its intense gun battles, car chases and brutal hand to hand combat, melded together with Fae magic and Norse mythology, this novel is a thrilling, unpredictable ride from start to finish. There’s plenty of action, building up to a fantastic climax and in terms of pure entertainment the novel really delivers on that count.
However, this isn’t just about cheap thrills – there’s a lot more beneath the surface. This is a labour of love and the worldbuilding here is simply incredible. Quenched in Blood reads like an alternative future history of Earth, where familiar countries and places exist, such as America, Russia, Rome and Norway, although some have been wiped out by orbital nuclear bombardment. This is a world featuring fantasy races (trolls, the fae, Jontun, cyclops), where magic and technology have been brought together to create deadly weapons. Whilst the history of the world, as we know it now, has occurred, in Crow’s version all this has been intertwined with fantastical elements.
The other great strength of Crow’s writing is his ability to bring a variety of disparate and often unlikable characters to life on the page. There’s no obvious hero here and the format involves various POV characters and several interlinked but separate storylines.
This certainly isn’t a struggle between good and evil – more a case of a fight for survival and dominance, using whatever means necessary to prevail. For example, whilst Valhalla Steel operate within a strict code of honour system, for them glory in combat is everything as they strive to be worthy to join Odin in Valhalla. Valhalla Steel are really a group of religious zealots, where the manner of their own death is more important than the suffering they cause to others. Their leader, Angus, reflects this, with his many flaws on full display:
“Helen watched him for a time. Some men were addicted to chems, others to pills or alcohol. Angus’ vice was hatred, and she wasn’t sure he’d ever break himself of it. He despised the Fae. It was, in her mind, his greatest weakness. It drove him to act in a way that broke from his normally calm and calculated manner, tainting his decisions with an almost blind rage.”
If this novel had just been about Angus, I think it would have been tough going. However, there are so many standout characters in this story and Crow’s gift is he makes you care about all of them.
Helen's relationship with a tortured Angus works really well. As I’ve mentioned, he's an interesting character who is very morally conflicted and his past blinds him. Helen’s struggle is trying to make Angus see there could be more to their life together.
His Thane, Yuri, lives on out of loyalty to Angus, his body augmented so he's half human, half fighting machine. Yet he’s also kind and considerate in his own way, for example helping Sigurd deal with the death of her brother:
“It is no easy task and some never learn to let it go. They bind their loved ones, hiding them so the Valkyrie cannot find their soul."
We also have Tiam, a paraplegic ‘net runner’ who fights his own wars through technology and linking his consciousness to the Net. The development of his relationship with Sigurd and the impact his disability has on this is handled very well. We also have the concept of the Net itself which, whilst clearly drawing inspiration from The Matrix, later moves in a very interesting direction.
The Fae called Ahearn is probably the closest thing to an antagonist in this novel, although again things are not that simple. Ahearn is appointed as a champion for the Fae, involving him having an odd symbiotic relationship with his 'Guardian', who gives him magical power but at considerable cost. There are parallels here to Ahearn’s past as a drug addict, which he struggles to break free from.
For those wanting to explore this world further, a novella, entitled Valhalla Steel, was released in 2020. This is where I started with Crow’s writing, although I think you could read these books in either order. The novella is really a proof-of-concept creation and the short form was almost groaning under the weight of all Crow’s ideas. In Quenched in Blood, the expanded novel format works really well, although this is still a relatively short book considering all the ground it covers.
I have to be honest, I’m surprised this book hasn’t already found itself a much wider audience because I really enjoyed this. I think this is in part because it’s very different to anything else I’ve read and is rather difficult to classify. I think if you like sci-fi or fantasy you would enjoy the Valhalla Steel universe. With his well-crafted characters, each with their own detailed history and motivations, Crow draws you into an amazing fantasy world. If you pick up this book you’re in for an exciting, action-packed adventure. This series really is brilliant and there’s lots of potential and fascinating possibilities to come in terms of where Crow takes this next.
April 18, 2022
Not my usual type of book to read however this was brilliant.
Dystopian book set in the future with partially mechanised vikings, celtic spirit creatures, gang warfare with virtual combat as well.
Very well written with good characters and world building.
This book 2 in the series. I haven't read book 1 but will definitely go back and read it now. It's not a prerequisite to have read book 1 as there are plenty of hints as to what has happened previously and the ending of book 2 certainly leaves enough open for a book 3.
Loved the David Gemmell reference as well ,made me smile.
Dystopian book set in the future with partially mechanised vikings, celtic spirit creatures, gang warfare with virtual combat as well.
Very well written with good characters and world building.
This book 2 in the series. I haven't read book 1 but will definitely go back and read it now. It's not a prerequisite to have read book 1 as there are plenty of hints as to what has happened previously and the ending of book 2 certainly leaves enough open for a book 3.
Loved the David Gemmell reference as well ,made me smile.
April 5, 2022
6.5/10*
I read this as a standalone (S. Crow wanted some readers to provide feedback if it would work in such a way) and it does work that way, but now I definitely want to read book 1.
There is definitely history/backstory that is missed and would be nice to have, however Crow does a decent job of providing information.
The blood letting was well written and the world building was pretty interesting.
I read this as a standalone (S. Crow wanted some readers to provide feedback if it would work in such a way) and it does work that way, but now I definitely want to read book 1.
There is definitely history/backstory that is missed and would be nice to have, however Crow does a decent job of providing information.
The blood letting was well written and the world building was pretty interesting.
September 27, 2021
Pure Entertainment!
Gritty character driven storytelling, along with immersive world building, makes Sean Crow's writing pull the reader in. I know I've got a good book in hand when I'm wondering about characters and events while at work or on my way home. This is the third book of Mr. Crow's I've read, and they all have that pull. Excellent entertainment and pure escapism.
Gritty character driven storytelling, along with immersive world building, makes Sean Crow's writing pull the reader in. I know I've got a good book in hand when I'm wondering about characters and events while at work or on my way home. This is the third book of Mr. Crow's I've read, and they all have that pull. Excellent entertainment and pure escapism.
December 13, 2021
Valhalla Steel allowed us to tiptoe into a grim but fantastic future full of cyborgs and fantasy creatures alike. This followup is a tsunami of new content and deep explorations of people trying to make sense of their humanity place in this fanciful dystopia. Get ready to be quenched in the unforgiving world of twilight city, where honor is the only liferaft.
April 7, 2022
Excellent book. I like Cyberpunk and I like Norse stuff so this combination was right up my alley. The pacing was good, the story was good, and the characters were great. The only real criticism I have is that I wasn't immediately hooked, but that's definitely more subjective. All in all, a really good book you should check out
August 26, 2021
Excellent!
Even better than the first book. Great characters, action, and world building. I can’t wait to see where it goes next. No hesitation recommending this book. Download and enjoy!
Even better than the first book. Great characters, action, and world building. I can’t wait to see where it goes next. No hesitation recommending this book. Download and enjoy!
July 17, 2021
Worlds collide as high-tec Vikings battle old magic Fae in an unrelenting gang war through the merciless streets of Twilight City. Crow does a masterful job of choreographing battle while also bringing up tough issues of personal vengeance against one's duty to family.
July 9, 2024
So good
Man. What a fun book!
Action packed, bigger and better than the first. So much heart, in such a tough world. Loved it.
Man. What a fun book!
Action packed, bigger and better than the first. So much heart, in such a tough world. Loved it.
April 20, 2025
My Stars:
1 - DNF or regret the time it took to read.
2 - I would have preferred cleaning the house.
3 - Good. Nothing really spoke to me, but I enjoyed my time.
4 - Great. This book is staying on my shelves. I'm continuing the series or will get other books the author has.
5 - New favourite. Will be re-read and if you engage me in conversation, I will not shut up about it.
My detailed reviews are on my YouTube channel, however:
That ending...
1 - DNF or regret the time it took to read.
2 - I would have preferred cleaning the house.
3 - Good. Nothing really spoke to me, but I enjoyed my time.
4 - Great. This book is staying on my shelves. I'm continuing the series or will get other books the author has.
5 - New favourite. Will be re-read and if you engage me in conversation, I will not shut up about it.
My detailed reviews are on my YouTube channel, however:
That ending...
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews