Demon's Reign

The Bloodwood Saga #1

by David Estes, Ben Galley

Tarkosi Terelta is a nobody. A nobody who will save his world from demons and the hellfire they bring.

The third-born of a shamed family, Tarkosi's lot in life is to spend his days as a worker, feeding temperamental lancewings under a harsh master. His days in the bloodwood city of Shal Gara are full of drudgery, tedium, and pain, his own ambitions cast aside in the name of order.

That is until demons from a broken world invade the forest realm of The Swathe, and an accident born of violence and dark magic intertwines Tarkosi’s fate with the greatest among them.

Forced onto the frontlines of a war forgotten by history, Tarkosi must balance battling the royal demon bound to him with the rapid progression of the magical abilities its presence has bestowed. Risking everything, he will need to tread a thin line between hero and heretic to keep Shal Gara from falling into ruin and chaos.

Avatar: The Last Airbender meets Venom in this epic progression fantasy perfect for fans of Iron Prince, Cradle, and Kingfall.

Genres: Fantasy, High Fantasy, Demons, Adventure, Fiction, Audiobook, Magic

642 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 25, 2022

About the author

Get a FREE short story from David Estes' #1 Amazon bestselling epic fantasy series, Fatemarked, when you sign up for his mailing list: https://www.subscribepage.com/b2v6v3

David Estes has written more than 40 science fiction and fantasy books. He loves chatting with his readers, all of whom he considers to be his friends. David lives in Hawaii with his beautiful Aussie wife, Adele, his moody cats, Bailey and Luna, and his rambunctious sons, Beau and Brody.

Join 3,000+ David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite in David Estes' official fan group at:
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/7...

Books by David Estes:

-The Fatemarked Epic- For fans of A Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, and The Way of Kings! Four kingdoms. A century-old war. One ancient prophecy that could change everything.

-The Kingfall Histories- a follow up series to the #1 Amazon bestselling series, The Fatemarked Epic

-Strings- “A wonderful retelling of the Pinocchio story…I simply couldn’t put this book down.”—Rysa Walker, bestselling author of TIMEBOUND

-The Dwellers Saga and the Country Saga. Voted books to read if you enjoyed the Hunger Games on Buzzfeed and Listopia.

-Salem's Revenge trilogy- the witch apocalypse begins!

-Slip Trilogy- "Someone must die before another can be born..."

-The Adventures of Nikki Powergloves- Kid superheroes? 'Nuff said.

Reviews

[Nick Borrelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both David Estes and Ben Galley have written some of my all-time favorite fantasy stories. Estes' Fatemarked series blew me away when I read it a couple of years ago and likewise, Galley's Chasing Graves trilogy and his Scalussen Chronicles are two that I think every fantasy lover should read immediately if they haven't yet. So when I saw some promotional tweets announcing that the two had just collaborated on a new book/series?!!! Well, let's just say I couldn't pick this one up fast enough and was really eager to get started on my journey into the Bloodwood.

The first thing that struck me right away was the map - a giant tree that is labelled showing each branch being a different part of the city of Shal Gara. Yes, you heard me right, an entire city - IN A TREE. A huge tree mind you, so huge in fact that some branches are miles wide and can house temples. So that in itself struck me as a completely fresh and different approach to worldbuilding that I had a feeling would result in endless possibilities for where this story could possibly go. And I was right.

This book felt like a whirlwind adventure from the very opening pages and it didn't really let up at all throughout. That's extremely rare for a doorstopper that tops out at 600+ pages but honestly, it felt like the story just flew by because of the unbelievable action sequences that Estes and Galley so brilliantly and skillfully convey. In a book this size you would expect some lulls but there really isn't a lot of standing around and long winded dialogue here. And yet there's enough to get a firm grasp on each character so even though this is a breakneck story with a lot of action, the characterization doesn't suffer at all in my opinion.

As with any Galley and Estes book, the magic is particularly top notch and of the dark variety. You can tell that the authors made it a priority to come up with a magic system that is both bold and takes chances but also fits within the world seamlessly and with the characters who wield it. And who doesn't love a fantasy book where vile demons run amok causing havoc and destruction in their wake?

This is a seriously fun book if you claim to enjoy fantasy that stretches boundaries and doesn't fit into the usual mold. I love what the authors have done here and this is some of the most unique stuff I've read in fantasy in a long time. Everything about this book made me smile widely because it shows you that there are no rules in fantasy and that you don't have to stick to the same old formulas to weave some amazing storytelling at the highest level. To say this book is entertaining would be like saying the Grand Canyon is just a hole in the ground. It goes way beyond that into the extraordinary and I was so delighted that I got a chance to experience DEMON'S REIGN in all its glory. Now my only problem is that I need the next book in the Bloodwood Saga! Hopefully it won't be too long of a wait because this one just served to whet my appetite for the larger adventure to come.

[Travis Riddle · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started Demon's Reign, I had the same fear that I have before starting every very-long fantasy book I read: that it was going to be a slog. 

I was really wrong. 

Demon's Reign clips along at a great pace, keeping us invested in Tarko and Serisi's story at every twist and turn. It admittedly takes a long time for things to happen in this book, yet the world and characters that Galley and Estes have conjured had me hooked. At least a third of the book is spent solely on Tarko's daily life in the bloodwood called Shal Gara, following him interacting with its residents (many of whom dislike him to varying degrees and for varying reasons) and embarking on different jobs, given his rank as a Worker according to society's Bloodlaws. 

This was probably my favorite section of the book, and I could've spent the entire rest of it just following life on a bloodwood. I loved the world the authors created, with characters populating a forest-y world that has enormous trees in which humans have built bustling cities. I know Tarko was mad about being relegated to the role of "worker," but as a reader I was loving getting to learn about the jobs on the tree. Seeing him as a sap-bringer for the warriors' giant birds was great fun, and I was super interested in the louse-mines, which I am disappointed we didn't get to read more about. 

In addition to the worldbuilding, the other strong suit in the book was its characters. While some of them do fit into some typical archetypes, I thought their personalities were well-rounded, and I enjoyed seeing the cast of characters interacting and seeing how they slotted into their world. Galley and Estes have clearly put a ton of thought into the world the characters inhabit, the Swathe, and it's obvious they've put just as much consideration into its characters' histories. Every single detail about them feels real and thought out, and it was a treat peeling back the layers as we get to know them and their backstories more. 

As I mentioned before, the pacing of the book is great, which is a considerable feat considering just how long it is. The only time I found my interest waning (although only the slightest bit) was during a string of huge battle scenes in the latter half of the book, but anyone who's read multiple reviews from me knows that it's hard to keep my attention in fight scenes anyway. Even so, the sense of atmosphere and tension within these battles was great; I could perfectly imagine the smoke-filled air and the heat from the fire baking my skin like I was right there with Tarko trying my damnedest not to be struck down by demonfire atop the branches of a mile-high tree. 

The climax of the book went to some unexpected places, considering this is just the first book of a trilogy, and I'm curious to see where the characters and the overall plot go from here. 

This is a great start to a new series, one with a rich world brilliantly brought to life by Galley and Estes that sucks you into its conflicts and makes you feel the heat of a demon's breath on the back of your neck.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this book on Audible.

Demon’s Reign is an enthralling, sprawling fantasy with interesting world-building and very fun characters.

I loved the concept, as body-fusing/possession/conscious inhabitation is a trope I'm exceedingly fond of, and I was curious how it would play out in a fantasy setting.

I loved the worldbuilding!

We have a forested world - the Swathe - where people live at the top of these massive trees. There are other cities of course, that don’t live in trees, but Shal Gara, where this takes place, does. The social structure is based on this concept called Blood Laws, a very tiered and hierarchical system that serves to keep the workers from rising above their station. We’ve seen this before (especially in a world called “Earth,” amirite?), but what’s fascinating about this one is that it’s a Matriarchy! What I loved about this was how it was approached. Matriarchies are not common, especially in fantasy, and when they are, it’s often women living in this utopian setting without men, or it’s just reverse patriarchy where everything sucks for men instead of everything sucking for women. This book though doesn’t fall into those reductionist traps. It’s a society that uses primogeniture, but where the head of state is a queen who passes that torch to a daughter. Rather than having aspects of misandry, we simply have a world where sexism doesn’t seem to exist. The highest-ranking general is a woman, by merit, not because she is a woman, and there are just as many women overseers and bosses as there are men. It doesn’t seem like there are gendered occupations or even gender roles. It was absolutely refreshing not because it’s not a perfect system - the Blood Laws are highly classist - but the fact that it being a matriarchy was not a major part of the story at all. It’s a very minor part that, really, has no bearing on the plot itself, and the normalization of non-sexism in the book is what was so damn refreshing. It definitely proves you can have a fantasy that doesn’t need to be based on Western medieval gender roles to feel like fantasy. Take note, writers!

The characters are wonderful. (Apologies - I listened on audiobook so I'm just guessing at the spelling of people's names.) Tarkosy Tarelta is the main character, a young man trying to find his place but is held down by the shadow of his dispossessed father and the nobles who despise him because of said father. He was a likeable character, as I think we can all understand the frustration of not fitting in anywhere, of having hopes and dreams squashed by outside forces, and of growing up. He was, well, cute! He makes mistakes, gets a bit cocky and then learns from said hubris, and he’s loyal.

The other characters are great - mainly because most of them are a little older than me (I'm late 30s), which made the novel more realistic than a bunch of twenty years olds commanding battles. Esterelle, the general, is a badass and tough-as-nails. Italoway is perky and quirky and has a giant cat for a pet. Tarko’s mom and sister are great foils to him. Rawlish, his love interest, was an obvious love interest from the start (in that he was clearly crushing on her the moment he met her but won’t admit it to himself, and she has no idea what she sees in him at first) but I adored their cute little side plot. Pell, a blind older man is the typical Obi-Wan mentor that growls and grunts a lot. There are some other minor characters, like Hydeck, a pretentious turd you love to hate, and then we have my two favourite characters. One is Cirrisi, the demon. She’s a fucking riot. She’s mean, demanding, insulting, and absolutely a badass. And then we have Red Eye. I don’t know why, but grouchy, somewhat dorky wizards are definitely my type when it comes to fantasy men, so I was like “book crush!”

Anyway, the characters work really well, as they play off one another, have fun discussions, and also work well as a team. They have a great dynamic that I really enjoyed.

The battle scenes were fun and interesting. They did go a little long for my taste in some parts, but the descriptions are vivid and it wasn’t the same thing over and over.

The one thing that isn’t unique is the magic - it’s basically the Avatar The Last Airbender with a dash of Diablo, in that there are four elements and to use your magic you have to down some Mana (called Nectra) before you can cast. But, really, there are enough unique and fun things about this book I didn’t care if the magic was basic. In fact, it was nice to not have a long-winded explanation about a magic system.

I will warn you - the story does take some time to get going. The demon doesn’t show up for quite a number of chapters - but that’s how the book gets you. By the time you get to Cirissi, you’re well invested in the story and understand the backstory behind Tarko and the Swathe, so their interactions don’t need to be interrupted by exposition.

The overarching plot unfolds kind of how you expect, but the side quests and minor twists make it very fun. It doesn’t meander but it also doesn’t feel too rushed. I would argue that the pacing is excellent, in fact.

The prose is good - nothing overly lyrical or particularly hilarious, but it flows nicely and gets the job done.

Overall, I must say I absolutely loved this thing. I can’t wait for the second one and, let me add - that cover? Absolutely killer. It’s gorgeous.

If you like epic fantasy, definitely give this one a shot. It’s so much fun and in my top 3 fantasy books of 2022.

[Nina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nicely done progession fantasy with a great cast of people and demons. Interesting world Tanaka lives in. I liked the atmosphere and actuon scenes a lot
Not much character work though. I would have liked there be a bit more wit and depth.
Overall a nice start to the series.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really can't do these slow burn books any longer. It took about quarter of the book for the things mentioned in the blurb to even have a foundation, much less start moving.

Yes, I know I'm probably ruined from instant gratification books, but reading something that doesn't interest you in the slightest is also unwise.

Maybe the authors shouldn't have stretched out the intro for a quarter of the book? Giant magical trees isn't enough to interest me. Was thinking of dropping the book if this went on for much longer.

I'm more than halfway through this book, and I don't think I will read the sequel. From what I read so far, the book is filled with bloat. They call it a progression fantasy, but the protagonist is just crawling. I don't care about the protag's inner turmoil, nor him not mattering and fitting into their tree society. I don't care about the angst caused by his fellow man, because from what I see so far, the protag will be a doormat character.

People treating him like trash all his life because of a lie someone told, but he looks like he will rollover, and sacrifice himself like an idiot for them in the end.
I may be wrong, but that is how things seem to be headed. The self sacrifice trope is one of the easiest ways an author can get me to drop their work and ignore any future writing.

We will see how this goes. But it sure seems like he will want to "prove" that he mattered all along. This bloated build sure points to it.

Well in the end, the protagonist didn't try to sacrifice himself for the people that spat on him all his life. But this book turned into a slog. The blurb called it a "progression" fantasy, but the only thing that progressed was the protagonist's societal rank in the magic sect.

The cover was also a lie. From it (the cover), you thought the protagonist would wield fire. Nope. This book read like a book I read before but can't put my hand on (antagonist is trapped in protagonist's body and they work together in the end). Heck, even the message this book is trying to send feels familiar.

What I can't excuse is how the book is written with a bunch of unneeded fluff. Like it is trying to come across as an epic fantasy to me.

Now that I slogged my way through this book, I won't pick up the sequel, nor anything else the authors wrote.

If you are a fresh face in fantasy, you may enjoy this, but to me it comes across as recycled, and not in a fun way. I want stories told differently, not following how a traditional publisher would do it.

2/5 Stars

[Cameron Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a setting!
A forest-dwelling civilisation that lives in mile-high giant bloodwood trees, using its sap to fuel their magic and an entire society and ecosystem formed around living in these enormous trees. Clearly a whole lot of effort has been put into developing this forest world and how it might all work in practice.

The story involves a down on his luck lad, Tarko, that doesn't fit into that strict social hierarchy - not all of it his own fault. The story clips along at a great pace, featuring, airborne knights, a demon invasion, magic, twists and turns betrayals and bravery!

[BoiledJellyfish · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 absolutely phenomenal!
The is worldbuilding is absolutely*chefs kiss*
And the main character, Tarkosi is an absolute turd and I'm all for it, especially when he's paired up with Serisi.
I did the audiobook with TGR and the performance was fan-freaking-tastic

[Dom]

DNF @ 14%

I initially sampled the opening chapter separately and quite enjoyed it, but I just couldn’t get invested in the rest of the book as there is a tonal shift – the opening is in the third person, but the rest of the book is a first-person narrative. This just didn’t work for me at all. I much preferred the opening in the third person, and thought it would work well for me, but it didn’t last long.

There was an interesting world with a pretty cool concept of these giant mile-high trees that are almost world trees in a sense, there are whole cities up there. There are so many weird and wonderful things that come along with that, like giant termite-type creatures that people have to go mining into the trees for to dig them out and prevent them from burrowing completely through and toppling the trees. I’ve seen this a couple of times before, and it’s always great to see what the author (or authors, in this case) pull out of their mind/s, but sadly, the book as a whole turned out not to be for me.

[Aalia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was unexpectedly very good. Love imagining the idea that people dwelled in high trees as their city & home. Very interesting setting and the overall pace is perfect. Not a dull moment from beginning to end. Looking forward to another audio experience with the Econ’s book and the amazing narrator TGR!

[Wasi Hakim · Rating 1 out of 5]

This novel, unfortunately, falls short on every front. The protagonist, a whiny child, offers little to root for or empathize with, and the narrative is bogged down by endless paragraphs that add nothing substantial to the story. Instead of progressing, the protagonist remains stagnant, making it a tedious slog to get through.

Comparing it to even the lowest quality light novels would be generous. The lack of any meaningful progression in the protagonist's journey makes it feel like a failed attempt at crafting a young adult protagonist with elements of progression fantasy. Ultimately, it fails to achieve anything of substance and is not worth the time investment.

[Dantegideon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book quite frustrating. Chapters and chapters describing the plants and the ecosystem, and when we finally get to the demon bit that’s a bunch of exposition as well. The MC doesn’t really do anything but grudgingly put up with stuff. Luckily I don’t have to do the same so I stopped reading somewhere between a third and halfway through.

[FantasyBookNerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, I was going to do the obligatory introductory paragraph where I tell you that Demon's Reign is the new collaborative tale written by David Estes and Ben Galley, and how it's about a culture that lives in a giant tree, but I decided to skip all that bumpf and just tell you that I friggin love this book.

I mean it's got loads of magic, loads of Demons and then the story is full of adventure. What's not to like? Well, I tell you - absolutely nothing!

The story centres around Tarkosy Tarelta, the son of a disgraced member of one of the higher families of the tree city of Shal 'Gara. It seems that Tarkosy's (shortened to Tarko in the book) dad had some funny ideas and that when the sun darkens it will signify the return of demon kind who were once the scourge of all the blood woods. Well, not many people liked that and thought he was talking a load of old shite. Not only that, some people used it against Tarko's dad and subsequently sent his family plummeting down the branches. As a result Tarko has to find any work that he can, except that Tarko kind of rubs everyone the wrong way and is always getting the heave - ho from anything he does. Sometimes not his fault, sometimes it is.

For the first part of the book we are introduced to the main character and the social system that rules the bloodwood, how it is governed by something called the Bloodlaws which is basically a social structure where people are put into various roles, like warriors, workers, merchants etc etc, and how Tarko hates the system.

Now things take an interesting turn when Tarko gets entwined with a demon called Sersi, and he things become even more interesting when he gets involved with a beggar called Pel, Atalawe, the scholar/magician and Red Eye an earth magician.

This book was just so much fun from start to finish. The pace of the book never lets up and for a 600+ page book never once did it sag at any point. It just romps along with no let up. There's a cracking mix of action scenes and world building

The characters are great and you can't help but like all of them. Yes, there are a few of the familiar types of characters that as a fantasy fan you come to expect. However this is the skill of Ben Galley in that he does use themes and tones that are familiar bit does something new with them whilst keeping those recognisable aspects. It's like putting on a new coat that you are already quite comfortable in thank you very much.

And not only that, this book has introduced me to David Estes's writing (although I couldn't tell who wrote what as the writing from both authors is joined so seamlessly), who I had not read before, and will be checking out more of his books

I zipped through this book and the only way that it could be prised from my hands and ears (I did both the audio and the book) was when I had to go to sleep. I cannot wait for the next book.

[Becky'sBookBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off I want to say a big thanks to Ben for sending a copy of Demon’s Reign my way! This book was so incredibly intricate with immense world building, both beautiful and horrifying scenes and a bunch of misfit characters I absolutely adored.

Tarkosi Terelta is a nobody. The third born of a shamed family, he spends his days with the rest of the workers, lower class members of Shal Gara tasked with keeping the Bloodwood running. That is until the unthinkable happens, Demon’s appear from another realm intent on burning the ancient Bloodwood and all who call it home to the ground. Tarko, in way over his head, ends up accidentally bound to a royal demon, something he hates, but even he can’t ignore the power being bound gives him, as well as the fact that their bond has awoken his magical ability. Risking everything he lets the Demon into his home, and he has to tread the fine line between hero and heretic if he is to save The Bloodwood from the ever encroaching Demon hoard.

Tarko was a character that took me a little time to warm up to. His family have been disgraced thanks to the actions of his father and he walks around with a kind of chip on his shoulder believing the world owes him something, but as the story progresses and he learns more about his father, and the legacy he left him, he definitely grew on me. He is someone so desperate to succeed, to not let those who put their faith in him down that he sometimes doesn’t make the best of decisions, but you can’t fault the heart behind them, knowing he is just trying to do what is right. When he accidentally bonds with Serisi, the daughter of the demon king he is repulsed. He has one of the enemy in his head, seeing through his eyes. But the longer they spend together, the more he see’s the usefulness of their bond, not only because of the strength and magical ability it lends him. I adored the scenes between these two, the initial distaste for each other gradually becoming mutual respect through a blend of snark and self preservation. They are definitely the unlikeliest of allies, but they might just be what Shal Gara needs to survive.

Speaking of Shal Gara… Estes and Galley certainly did not skimp on the world building. Tarko lives in a forested world, where people live in cities on trees.. yes you read that right, giant trees called Bloodwoods that can contain an entire population. The people travel through the trees and Bloodwoods via above ground walkways with the ground being infinitely more dangerous with the multiple murderous creatures that call it home. The world was so incredibly well brought to life and I never struggled to envision the ancient Bloodwood of Shal Gara. As well as that, the world they created was a matriarchy! In fact, in this world sexism doesn’t seem to exist at all with one of the highest ranking generals being a woman herself. They instead rank their citizens based on their birth order and their family name, both of which will decide your path in the Bloodwood.

Pacing wise, I do feel like the start of the book dragged slightly. The authors decided to spend the first third or so of the book allowing us to simply follow Tarko on his search for a job withing Shal Gara, whilst also giving us a boat load of history of the world. Whilst this did allow us plenty of time to bond with Tarko, it did slow the pace down and I felt that I started to enjoy the story a lot more once it picked up and we left Shal Gara. The last two thirds of the book are still packed with world building, but also some incredibly epic fight scenes. We get to not only see regular foot soldiers take on the Demon’s but also Mage’s whose powers were based around elemental magic; mudmage, watermage etc. The descriptions of the magical fight’s were some of my all time favourite scenes to read, incredibly atmospheric and added a tension to an already tense and battle filled book.

I think the thing I loved most about this book was the characters. Tarko and Serisi’s interactions were full of snark and wit, but my favourite’s were by far the relationships and banter between the scribes whose Tarko’s father once belonged to. Pel, Atalwe, Redeye and Eztaral are a big bunch of misfits, but they have one thing in common and I loved seeing a group of older characters get so much page time and allowed to be so incredibly kick ass. They, along with Tarko become a kind of found family and I lived for all of their interactions. We do meet a bunch of other side chaarcters from Tarko’s mother and sister, to Haidak Bayon, the son of the man whom Tarko blames for the death of his own father, and whether you love or hate these characters they all bring something special to the story.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s filled with twists and turns, as well as separate plot lines that help to propel the story along, and I loved the open and somewhat cliffhangery ending. Estes and Galley have created one epic world filled with brilliant brought to life characters, danger, magic and deception and I loved it all.

[The Book Dragon's Hoard by A.V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful fantasy read, particularly the wink at Shakespeare through Tolkien (iykyk). While the adventure of a young individual dissatisfied with life thrown into war and muddling his way to recognition is a common trope in fantasy, I loved how the authors played around with it to create something compelling and, while familiar, also new and enticing. Things never go quite the way you would expect and every twist is brilliantly done, echoing human nature to perfection and really casting a lens on how we behave under strain and when facing what is new. The exploration of how strict social structure hems in people and causes the rot of dissatisfaction from boredome to the lack of appreciation, is thought provoking and insightful. And on the flip side, this story also shows the anarchy and destruction that comes with chaos, and thus highlights how social change is better done slowly and steadily with intention, rather than in the fires of revolution. The layers of meaning woven into this novel are truly wonderful.

As if that weren't enough, I absolutely adored the worldbuilding. Certainly, the detail the authors went into to showcase the world and the culture of these people who live in giant trees made for a somewhat slow start and gave some space for the main character, Tarkosi, to whine a lot, but I didn't really mind that so much because I appreciated the attention to detail in this very carefully constructed world. It's unique and immersive, and I loved it.

[Ravelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall, I thought this was a fantastic read. The part of the book that strikes out to me the most is the fantastic world building in this novel, it's really cool to read about a culture entirely based on living in/around a tree, and clear the authors have put a lot of thought into it and the lore of the world. It's a very unique setting. The story I don't think is groundbreaking as a whole, but there were twists I didn't see coming, and it was a fun time. Character interactions, action scenes are all excellent, and the novel is generally very well written. I especially liked the interactions between the main character and the demon in his body, very reminiscent of Venom. The ending of the book was satisfying and unexpected, and I'm excited to see where the story goes from here.

My one major gripe with this novel is that it's marketed as progression fantasy, and feel free to disagree, but this is NOT progression fantasy. I would even hesitate to call it progression fantasy adjacent but I could see an argument made for it. It's just regular fantasy, and damn good one at that, but progression is not part of it. The magic system has been designed in a way that there could be a progression focus in latter books, but it's really not there in this one. I will say though, I think progression fantasy fans would still like the novel.

[Alan Behan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastically new world created by two excellent authors, David Estes and Ben Galley have come together to bring us a new world of chaos for us fantasy lovers to get lost in. I absolutely love a good collaboration, the story flows so amazingly you can't tell who wrote what. Demon's Reign is the first book in new and exciting series The Bloodwood Saga. The worldbuilding, plot and characters are brilliant, it's so fast paced, action packed with battles and the magic elements is excellent. In this first book our main protagonist Tarkosi Terelta is a lowly third-born of a shamed family, Tarkosi's lot in life is to spend his days as a worker, tending to temperamental giant birds called lancewings under a harsh master. Clumsy and and always shuned by the highborns for his father's past, Tarkosi life is about to change and I mean possessively. Fire demons from a broken world invade the forest realm of The Swathe, an accident born of violence and dark magic intertwines Tarkosi’s fate with the greatest among them. Can Tarkosi finally become who he was always meant to be in the society of the bloodwood city of Shal Gara and help those he loves dearly to stop Shal Gara from falling into ruin and chaos from demons set on there total annihilation. Can't wait for the second book, if your looking for something new, I very highly recommend....🔥😁

[Lara R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tarko is a third-born. Hence, he is supposed to live his life as a worker according to the laws of the society he lives in, but he feels this is not his place. Had his family not lost their status due to mistakes his father made, he would be a sorcer. When he encounters a demon and is linked to her, everything changes.

I'm absolutely floored by the world building in this book. It's phenomenal, new and creative and I love it. The world the characters live in is spectacular and very detailed. The creatures roaming around are all new and there's not one animal mentioned that I know from the real world. Truly fantastic!

The characters are well written and have a lot of depth and backstory. I really enjoyed reading about Tarko and his demon Serisi. Especially, seeing how she is in the beginning when she's trapped within him and then seeing her grow and understand this world so foreign to her.

Another favorite is Atalawe. She's spunky and fun, but also a scholar and knows how to fight.

The beginning of this story is slow, but I think this is necessary to understand Tarko's struggles and his feeling of not being worth anything, but striving to be more in a society where everything has a strict order.

If you like detailed world building, great characters and a truly fantastic story, this is for you!

[Fiona Tewson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great new read from Ben and David. Tarko is someone who seems unable to stick at a job, whether his own doing or others, remains to be seen as the story unfolds. His world is lived out in the tree canopy, but these trees house whole cities within their branches, roads are high up and link one great tree to its neighbour. But the demons are coming and want to burn Tarko's home to gain the precious nektra and enable the devastation of the sward. How Tarko and his band of scions, as well as the demon Sisi do this is a fantastic read. The world building is just as we would expect from these 2 great authors. Their words meld seamlessly and I defy anyone to know who wrote what. Roll on book 2, as I definitely need to know what is going to happen next.

If you've not read any of Ben's books before, you're in for a treat. I'd not heard of David Estes before, but I'll be looking out for his books too! Thanks for a great read.

[Marena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, this was so much fun when possible I listen to audible as I read and Tim Gerard Reynolds was perfect for this story and made it even more entertaining. I love David Estes and Ben Galley but getting them together was a special treat.

In this story, we follow Tarkosi Terelta as his world is being attacked by demons. Tarko's world centers around the bloodwood city of Shal Garan in the forest realm of The Swathe with its unique magic and caste system.

We have a demon invasion, airborne knights, magic, a caste system, and hidden societies good and bad.

Lively banter between Tarko and his uninvited inborn visiter, Serisi has laugh-out-loud moments. You see Tarko go from a lowly worker to the mage he was born to be and the grudging respect grows between Tarko and Serisi.

All around good time reading and/or listening.

[Aryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! First of all, let me start out by saying that, as a rule, I read anything written by David Estes or Ben Galley. So, when I saw that they were collaborating on a series…. Obviously there was no chance I wasn’t going to pre-order and read this book immediately!

The world building… mile high Bloodwood trees which are home to cities of people! A world where the loam or ground level is a scary taboo place. Then you add in the super unique magic system and a coming of age story! This is a must read!
I loved the characters and again, the world building blew my mind! I can’t wait to read the next installment! If I could give this one more than 5 stars I would! Congratulations Ben and David!

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tarkosi Terelta is the perfect hero for a high fantasy stage. A true coming of age that we are fortunately blessed to witness turn into something more. The highs and lows of his journey kept me on the edge of my seat, and the twists and turns of the story kept me hooked. I constantly found myself wanting to read another chapter before going to bed as each chapter was that good!

I cannot recommend this book enough to anyone who is a fan of high fantasy or want to get into high fantasy. I've already ordered the second book and am currently waiting to dive into it when it arrives. This book made me love reading again!

[Suzanne Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Epic

Just finished this first book of what I trust will be at least three book series. Galley and Estes have shown their brilliant ability to write a great story together.
There was always a twist in the tale just when the storyline seemed familiar, and the hero has developed amazingly well, from an irritating nothing to a purposeful hero. There is so much scope for further books, and I long to discover the fate of the anti heroes, the survivors of the mighty cataclysm and Tarko himself.

[Victoria Zigler · Rating 5 out of 5]

You wouldn’t think a book of this length would feel like it took hardly any time to read, but the creative world building captured my attention from the start, and the combination of interesting characters and a perfectly paced plot held it throughout, so that the hours of reading melted away unnoticed. I love how the characters and plot developed throughout the book, and can’t wait to read more from this world. If you’re a fan of fantasy stories, and looking for something unique and exciting to read next, you definitely need to read this!

[Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Estes' solo work and not familiar with the co-author. This is apparently the first book of a new series but can be read as a standalone.
The protagonist is an unlikable whiner who has failed at so many jobs and yet takes no blame himself. He blames his troubles on others or the legacy of his dead father.
The community is a humongous tree and the people live in a caste system with only the nobles seemingly having any rights.
I was very disappointed in the first third to 40% of the book and only a strong finish salvaged the third star

[adam carlton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good chunk of a book and a rip roaring ride from start to finish. Action a-plenty and each tangent in the story adds to the main thread of the book. Demons, magic, secret societies, danger, betrayal and the foundations for the story to continue into book 2. What more could you want?
Ben and David's collaboration deserves to be congratulated upon and surely this is a partnership which can only improve

[Antonia Delgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saw the authors promoting this in reddit, so decided to take a chance on this new series. Utterly fantastic story with some great world building and charactors. Be warned its really long but its time really well spent.

Special thanks to the narrator (Audible), he knocked this out of the park, i really hope there will be another in the series it really deserves to shine in a sea of books now day

[Arun Andhavarapu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the book

Enjoyed the book. I had expected more from David Estes and Ben Galley. At times it resembled a YA book with its predictability and the disdain of its protagonist. At times it seemed to come closer to a more complex plots with complex/realistic characters that had more than one dimension to them - but it failed to deliver.

[Jenny T · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit darker and with more action than my usual fare, but the world-building hooked me immediately (the TREE is a CITY!) and the well-intentioned hero and the snarky demon kept me reading. The story felt like it could have been two books, but I enjoyed the descriptions of how life works in a giant tree and there was certainly plenty of action. Glad I picked this one up!

[Liam · Rating 2 out of 5]

The level of disappointment I felt when the book switched from 3rd person to 1st after the first chapter. So now we get to be stuck in the head of a loser for God knows how long and when he does inevitably become an infinite badass it's going to be cringeworthy? Not for me. Dnf. Dns, really.

I marked it up a few stars because it's not really a quality problem, just a matter of preferences.

[melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

I loved the characters and the world your immersed in once you start reading. I can't wait to see what comes next in the series.
So original of story as well, definitely a page turner.