A Time of Dread is a work conceived in the mind of a genius.

Simply amazing and almost impossible to put down, A Time of Dread is truly a masterful start to a trilogy which I envision will be crowned as one of the best series I’ve ever read by its end. <b>John Gwynne has proven himself once again to be the constant harbinger of superlative epic fantasy that only the greatest of authors can achieve.</b>

Let it be known that Gwynne is in fact the only author on my list to earn the perfect streak of top quality achievements from me. A Time of Dread marked the fifth time his work has been included in my ‘favorites of all time’ shelves; together with his previous quartet, that’s five out of five books. To do a bit of comparison, neither of my two other favorite authors—Brandon Sanderson and Joe Abercrombie—earned this perfect streak.

I can be quite petty with ratings; I don’t give a lot of full five out of five stars ratings. Gwynne, however, never ceased to impress me with his pure and unadulterated talent, and is one of the few authors who always did everything right for my epic fantasy craving. <i>The Faithful and the Fallen</i> is one of the series that I recommend the most often to every fantasy readers I know, whether it’s on Bookstagram, Booktube, Goodreads, or real life; I’m going to keep on doing that, except that starting from now, Of Blood and Bone will be included.

The first book in the Of Blood and Bone trilogy is a stunning and darker return to the world of the Banished Lands, the same world as his previous series. Creating a new series with a different cast in the same world is risky. The author has to do a lot of things right such as making sure the story will feel different and at the same time, retaining the elements that made his previous work magnificent in the first place; there’s nothing to worry about here because Gwynne achieved all that. Just from looking at the cover, it’s quite obvious there is a huge contrast between Gwynne’s debut, Malice, and A Time of Dread. Where Malice used a white background, A Time of Dread used black; this captured the tone of the book perfectly. Unlike his previous series, the line between good and evil is more blurry here.

Hundreds of years have passed since the end of the monumental events that took place in Wrath, now called the Day of Wrath. To save future readers of Gwynne’s previous series from spoilers, all I’ll say is that the main plot of this book mainly revolves around a new upcoming threat that’s coming to the Banished Lands. The book reignites all the sparks that made the previous book excel in quality; betrayal, familial love, the friendship between humans and animals, wars, deception, a few hilarious interactions, and many more. At the same time, like I mentioned before, the storytelling direction is also different. The first chapter, for example, immediately set the darker tone of the entire book which wasn’t found in Malice; even the source of inspiration is different. Here’s an excerpt from the interview I did with Gwynne back in March 2017:

“Where the Faithful and the Fallen was inspired by Paradise Lost and Caesar’s Gallic War, this new series is inspired by the Volsung Saga, the Fall of the Roman Empire, Atilla the Hun, the rise of the Orders of the Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller, and berserker Valkyries.” –John Gwynne

The plot is also highly addictive to read. By building the tension with each page turned, the last 20% of the book became one damn fine breathtaking and compelling book to read. Also, for those of you who had trouble with the myriad amount of characters in TFatF, A Time of Dread casts are smaller in quantity, with only four main POV to follow throughout the entire book; Drem, Riv, Bleda, and one side character from the previous series.

Speaking of characters: for me, the driving force of a compelling book depends hugely on its characters. If I have to choose, I prioritize marvelous characterization over anything else. Great plot, thrilling actions, and good prose are all almost pointless if I can’t bring myself to care about the fate of the characters in the book. Luckily, one of Gwynne’s greatest qualities as a writer is his stupendous achievement with characterizations. This book strengthens the notion that he’s one of the greatest SFF authors out there when it comes down to writing lovable protagonists and despicable villains. It’s excellent how he always managed to evoke my emotions through the characters' actions and interactions; they felt so real. Do know however that it’s not only the new characters that stole the spotlight in the book; some characters from Gwynne’s previous series do make an appearance here. Whether it’s in the form of their descendants or, in one case, as one of the main POV, I found all the protagonists endearing and the villains despicable. Hundreds of years have passed, so most of our beloved characters have become legendary figures and their names and deeds are mentioned a lot here. If you’re a fan of TFatF, all the homage paid to those characters is guaranteed to spark a lot of nostalgia.

“And so many of them gone, now. But their memory lives on. We shall never forget."

I’ve read a lot of epic fantasy books and I’m confident enough to say without hesitation that Gwynne is one of—if not the—best when it comes to writing grippingly realistic battle scenes. The nock of arrows, the clashing of steel, the explosion of blood, the formation of shield walls; his action scenes have always been very cinematic, intricate, immersive and dynamic, and this book is no exception. In fact, in terms of action, this book and its climax sequences make a lot of other series final book action scenes pale in comparison; Gwynne is miles above the majority of fantasy authors when it comes to close-quarter combat.

“Sometimes the only answer is blood and steel.”

It’s safe to say that my experience reading this book was enhanced immensely because of my knowledge on the world of the Banished Lands. Realms have come and gone, the state of the world has changed after hundreds of years; there are new factions, new cities, and an altered landscape. However, for longtime fans of Gwynne’s works, familiar names such as Drassil and Starstone Crater are designed to make you feel at home again. Gwynne did a fantastic job improving and reintroducing the established world of the Banished Lands. If you’re like me, not a stranger to this world, it will definitely enrich the already amazing experience of reading this book with the underlying experience we’ve gained. By reading TFatF before reading this, you would have lived through the histories talked about in this book. If you’re new to it, you’ll be just reading through them. In conclusion, the world-building is truly a work of excellence because the lore was actually established in full detail from the previous four books. It’s okay for you to read this book without prior knowledge of the world, but do know that it will spoil you on the events of Gwynne’s previous series. It can’t be helped; it’s this book’s history, after all. My advice? Read TFatF before reading this. You definitely should anyway, because it’s one of the best epic fantasy series out there.

One of my favorite things about reading something new from one of my favorite authors is seeing how much he has improved as a writer. Gwynne has come a long way since his debut, Malice. His prose is now even better, extremely well polished and top-notch in quality. I found his writing in this book incredibly engaging, vivid, immersive and bloody addictive to read. It was immensely hard for me to put down the book every time I start reading it; and when I did put it down, I couldn’t help reaching for it like I was having withdrawals. The fact that I finished reading this book in less than a day should say enough about how addictive it was. His prose is the glue that connected all the incredible plot, characterization, action sequences, and world-building to become one of the finest first books in a series I’ve ever read.

My time in the Banished Lands will always be one of my most treasured memories and experiences in my fantasy literature adventure, and I was beyond pleased to dive back into this world again. TFatF series has earned its place among my top five favorite series of all time, and Wrath is one of the best books I’ve ever read in my entire life. It’s not an exaggeration to say that it will be extremely hard for Gwynne to create a series that tops my love for his first series. However, I’m anxious to see Gwynne prove me wrong after the amazing things he did with A Time of Dread. Even with my high expectations, A Time of Dread still managed to blow me away; it’s truly a monumental start to a series that’s even better than his debut, Malice, by far. By the end of this book, I was already completely intrigued, hooked, compelled, and eager to read the next book in the trilogy.

If you call yourself a fan of heroic or epic fantasy—call it whatever you want—you owe it to yourself to read this book. And IF you’re a fan of Gwynne’s first series, there’s no excuse for you to not read this book. Not only this is one of the greatest start to a series I’ve ever read, Gwynne has truly earned his place among the ranks of legendary fantasy authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, and Brandon Sanderson with what he has achieved with A Time of Dread and his previous series.

The waiting game for the next book in the trilogy will be painful, but I know it will be worth the wait. Gwynne hasn’t failed me and I don’t think he ever will at this rate; he’s truly the Bright Star of epic fantasy literature.

“Truth and Courage”

I received an advanced copy of A Time of Dread in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank John Gwynne and Pan MacMillan for this opportunity.

The story places readers within the Land of the Faithful approximately 120 years after the conclusion of the novel Wrath, which was an epic, brutal, and fulfilling climax to one of my favourite ever fantasy series'. The angel-like Ben-Elim rule the land now from their base at the giant-erected fortress of Drassil. They've spent generations uniting the nations and tracking the remaining forces of the grotesque and scarily powerful Kadoshim, their Eternal enemy. The Kadoshim's leader, Asroth is frozen in metal within the Ben-Elim's stronghold but that doesn't mean his faithful aren't out there plotting, sacrificing innocents and boiling up some horrid actions that could equate to A Time of Dread.

In the first book of the Of Blood and Bone trilogy, we only follow four points of view perspectives so we get to know these characters very well. My favourites were the perspectives of Bleda, a warrior Prince who is superb at using a bow and arrow and Sig, a female giant that rides a huge yet loyal bear - she was also a minor character in Gwynne's previous saga. There are a great number of important personae, races, and animals throughout this tale that it might appear overwhelming to begin with but it's worth sticking with. The novel starts slowly as the characters, their allegiances and the history of the world are gently and cleverly massaged into the reader's mind. The world itself is also vast yet the action here predominantly takes place within a handful of fortresses, forests, and the bitter icy North which is known as the desolation. The story features the same areas and cities as the Faithful and the Fallen but time has changed the environment a degree. The history Gwynne has created is epic when describing events some readers will know from 120 years before, as are the revelations regarding important actions and battles that have happened since. This is cleverly done when elders explain the history to younger cast members. I have to admit that I went a bit teary-eyed with joy when occasionally some individuals discussed their relationships with the characters that I had followed for four books previously, and what had happened to them following the conclusion of Wrath. It shows John's unique skill as an author that him just mentioning Corban or Veradis had me so emotionally touched and gripped. I finished the Faithful and the Fallen a year ago so my exact memories weren't crystal clear. The way Gwynne introduces the characters, world, rivalries, and history is sublime, reminding me of the previous stories, however; I honestly believe this would be a great place to start too as the writing is deep, descriptive, and enchanting. This isn't just written for his current fans. You can lose yourself in this world even if this book is your first visit. 90% of the characters are new and likewise, I think previous readers will enjoy it 10% more with prior knowledge and past experiences yet that's not to say new readers won't be engrossed and blown away too. A few old characters are still walking this world. One of them returning made me 'fist-punch' the air.

It started off quite slow and steady. I enjoyed the beginning yet analysed this was targeted more at a YA audience. Boy, was I wrong? If anything this is Gwynne's darkest work to date. I should have known really looking at the awesomely designed cover. A Time of Dread contains amazing action scenes, shocking betrayals, intense battles, and a huge death count. The intensity rises right up until the awesome finale at an addictively gripping pace. Comparing back to the Faithful and the Fallen which has a clear alignment of the sides that were good and evil, those areas are greyer this time with political confrontations and even potential revolutions on the horizon between factions. The Ben-Elim were always heralded as the saviours of humankind. Now some people aren't so sure. There are many twists and shocking revelations throughout the narratives final half. I tend to be highly analytical when reading and I only predicted one of them. When that twist was revealed in the last chapter - the fact I had guessed what was to come didn't make it any less amazing.

I was so happy to venture back into Gwynne's world and mind. Gwynne is a master of his craft and one of the best fantasy writers around right now. With likeable characters, it hits so much harder should bad things happen to them but unfortunately, they do. This is a great place to start or an unmissable next step in Gwynne's majestic tale of Good vs Evil. A Time of Dread is epic, unpredictable and exhilarating with action galore and characters worth rooting for.

A Time of Dread is the first in a new series of fantasy by John Gwynne, whose ‘Wrath’ I reviewed earlier in the year. Gwynne has a reputation for producing high quality epic fantasy, with some compelling characterisation and…rather a lot of blood. I can safely say that in A Time of Dread, that reputation is burnished further.

The book is a follow-up of sorts to his earlier series, taking place a century after the climatic battles and social changes of ‘Wrath’. Though a century feels like a long time, the longevity of some of the world’s inhabitants – giants, semi-divine seraphim and their nemeses - suggests the possibility of the return of a few familiar faces. But having read the previous series isn’t necessary; though there were a few times when it added extra depth to some interactions, the shift in time means that this is designed to work as a stand-alone series from the get-go, and at that, I suspect it succeeds.

The land is, at least nominally, at peace. A large swathe of it is ruled by the winged Ben-Elim, apparently servants of an absent god, who followed their enemies back into the world to hunt them down. The Ben-Elim have a cultural advantage as rulers – their legend has been put out before them, and the malign nature of their enemy isn’t really in question. They flatly state that they were the servants of a god, and propound and propagate his lore. They’re also, broadly speaking, fair – they’re encouraging people to live safe, peaceful lives, which helps prevent the abuses of nobility against the common man. Mostly though, they’re doing this for their own reasons – a peaceful dominion allows them access to people and resources, to continue prosecuting their ongoing war against their less friendly kin. The Ben-Elim are goal oriented, and that has its own problems. They’re prone to rigidity, and to being prepared to sacrifice anything and anyone (else) if they feel it will help them achieve their aim. After all, defeating the more unpleasant flying monstrosities will lead to a safer humanity – so in the meantime, a bit of impressment or the occasional massacre is for the greater good.

That makes them a great, conflicted set of characters to root for. They’re definitely fighting against an absolute, horrifying evil. But their efforts to end that fight are horrifying I their own way. The humans they’ve brought in around them are similarly conflicted. Some question the rigidity of Ben-Elim rule, and others, drawn from cultures being drawn under the benevolent boot of Ben-Elim rule, wonder why they let these monsters be in charge in the first place It’s a complex situation, and one which Gwynne portrays with sympathy and an unflinching eye for the consequences of “the greater good”.

There’s also a politically separate group of humanity, out on their own and causing trouble. They feel like the Big Damn Heroes of the operation, without oversight from the Ben-Elim, living free and disrupting the bad guys that they and the Ben-Elim have in common. They suffer from a lack of resource and direction, seemingly, but they make a strong contrast in the forces of ‘good’. I’d like to see their fissures as much as those of their putative allies, but hopefully we’ll see that they’re not a united front either.

The bad guys are…well, they’re bad. The antithesis to the Ben-Elim, they’re full-on cultist-acquiring, scheming, plotting, indiscriminate slaughter bad guys. If the Ben-Elim are the perils of good intentions and an overly-taught system, their opponents are evidence of why that system exists, and they’re not nice people at all. If I have a complaint, it’s here – the bad guys are bad. Sure, the good guy have different strands of discussion over which brand of goodness they’re going to follow, in the authoritarian/libertarian mode, but their enemies represent a unifying threat – they’re so genuinely appalling, I haven’t worked out yet how they get their cultists to sign up. It’d be nice to see the same level of complexity that we see amongst the Ben-Elim in their direct opposition.

Character-wise, there’s some interesting people in play. I’d have liked to see more of their internal monologue. Some may be familiar from the earlier series, but some – like the Drem, a trapper youth in the far wilds of the empty area known as the Desolation – are entirely new. Gwynne has a firm grasp of characterisation – Drem, for example, has mannerisms and an internal monologue which make him feel awkward and a bit confused by social nicety, whilst also explaining to the reader how his viewpoint is constructed, and letting us sympathise with it. Others, like Riv, a trainee under the Ben-Elim, give us an insight into their culture, and a degree of empathy to that culture by way of what they’re going through. Riv is smart, funny, articulate – and given to the occasional blind rage. It’s to Gwynne’s credit that he can craft characters like this sympathetically, and make the reader feel alongside them, and understand the travails which they go through.
There’s some nifty character work here, especially as it opens up for longer term arcs in follow up books; I’m looking forward to seeing both how our protagonists from this volume interact with each other, and with any new characters in the next book. In the meantime, they’re convincing as people, with the sort of small troubles familiar to anyone, and the sort of larger causes and ideals which make them feel more heroic. Once again though, it’d be lovely to see something from the eyes of our putative villains – the book doesn’t suffer from the lack, mind you, but I’d love to get an understanding of their ideology.

The plot…well, it’s solid. There’s a slow ramp up as we’re introduced to the world and to the stakes. By the end, there’s sword fights, dread cultists, raids, blood everywhere, a little bit of magic – and, on a broader level, the suggestion that the world is about to change, not necessarily for the better. There’s some great emotional payoffs, not just at the close, but spaced through the text. They, along with the kinetic and vivid combats, and the closely observed characters, kept me turning pages long after I should have stopped for, you know, food.

In the end, this is a precursor to other volumes – and I imagine that the time of dread will open into something more sprawling and ominous. It’s a great start though, giving us high stakes action, believable characters, and a world which carries some of the complexities and shades of grey of our own, whilst still feeling fresh and imaginative.

If you’re coming to this series off the back of Gwynne’s last one, I’d say this will fit your expectations – smart and well-crafted epic fantasy. If you’re coming in without the benefit of that series, don’t panic. It still works on its own, and is still a great read. In either case, it’s a rewarding read.

First of all, a huge thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgalley for allowing me to read this in advance. It was brilliant. Exactly the kind of fantasy I live for.

Now before I get started, I must confess that this is my first John Gwynne novel. His debut, Malice, was next on my pile to read when I was approved for this beauty so I thought I’d start here. Although I don’t regret it, I do feel like I have missed a lot of cool references to characters of his first series, The Faithful and the Fallen. For that reason, I found the first half of the book fairly slow, as new characters are introduced, the world explained and tales of the original heroes are told. There are a lot of talks and hints about previous characters which I am sure long time readers of Gwynne will love, I just wanted to get started with the new ones. Saying that, the slow start was necessary to making this book (and presumably, series) readable for those who are new to Gwynne and this world, me included. Now I don’t mind a slow pace so this did not put me off reading, but I wasn’t as glued to the story as I thought I might have been after the amazing reviews Gwynne already has for his work. However, I did just read the last 50% in one sitting this morning, so I can say with some certainty that this changes.

A Time of Dread is set in the world of the Banished Lands where warrior angels, the Ben-Elim, protect the humans of the realm against the threat of their great enemies, the demon race of the Kadoshim. Yet this is not a tale of Good vs Evil as you may think with that description. The lines between dark and light blur in this story, leaving you not sure who to trust and what to believe. Gwynne is a master story-teller. He weaves the lives of the four point of view characters excellently, revealing just enough of their personalities and knowledge of the world as they go through the novel for you to piece things together and come to your own conclusions. And then blasts them apart in the last 20%. The one thing I need to enjoy epic fantasy is great characters and A Time of Dread has these aplenty. We follow a young man in the Desolation, who understands the difference of right and wrong and wants the world to know it; a young human warrior in the Ben-Elim’s service, trying her best to prove she is worthy of being there; a ward of the Ben-Elim, taken as punishment from his clan to stop them from fighting; and a member of the people who don’t always see eye to eye with the Ben-Elim, but want the Kadoshim dead too. They each have different motives and feelings about the way their realm is governed and their unique insights are one of the main reasons this book is addictive. Even the side characters are well developed and complex. They all felt real, and as their dramas unfolded I really felt caught up in their adventure at every turn. At one point, I felt a certain character’s pain so strongly I had to put my kindle down and take a breath. This is why I love reading, and this novel truly takes you away from reality and pulls you into their world.

I love stories told from multiple perspectives as you get to see what’s happening in different areas of the world and see the action unfold around each character. This is also a great way to build up suspense. Gwynne had me cursing several times as huge events occurred in one character’s orbit and left you desperate to get back to them as the next chapter switches you across to the events on the other side of the world. So. Good. It is such an enjoyable experience to be in the hands of a great writer, if at times frustrating. But it’s that desperation to keep reading and then find equally shocking and exciting events happening to this character too that next thing you know you’ve finished the last 50% in a matter of hours and you’ve barely moved. It’s that absorbing.

I found that I did predict the revelation of the last chapter fairly early on in the book, but it was one I was pleased to be right about and left me so excited about the next book. I can’t give this the full five stars as I did find the first half a bit too slow, but it wasn’t enough to deter me and I think it was necessary to the story, it set many events in motion even if I didn’t know it at the time. I understand it’s importance but I can’t forget feeling a bit indifferent to picking it up again. But by the end I adored it, so I definitely recommend this to any fantasy fan and as suspected I am dying to read the next one, but will have to settle with starting Malice, and learning about this world as I was supposed to. And looking at the reviews for it, along with now knowing how talented John Gwynne is, I don’t think that is bad thing! I definitely have a new favourite author and I am looking forward to losing myself in the world of the Banished Lands.

Dear John Gwynne, you will never fail to surprise me, and your stories will never fail to make me inevitably cry!

Of Blood and Bone is a new trilogy taking place roughly 130 years after the last events of Wrath (The Faithful and the Fallen, #4). And things have significantly changed in the Banished Lands. The landscape is definitely different (can’t wait to get my published copy to see the map!), peace is tenuous at best and ghastly, troubling things are happening all around the land and even at the heart of the Desolation.


"Sometimes the only answer is blood and steel."


Reading A Time of Dread was a tricky experience for me. First, because of huge expectations of course! Second, because I was in a huge slump and I was afraid I would judge it too severely, especially since it’s an ARC. And third, because I kept asking myself if the new characters would rise to the perfection their predecessors achieved.

The first one couldn't be helped! The Faithful and the Fallen is without doubt one of the most overwhelming, emotional and satisfying series I've read in my life! But despite its narrower scope, a Time of Dread hinted at unexpected alliances and betrayals, gory action and epic battles coming our way in the sequels! While it still can be seen as a battle between Good and Evil, you will encounter a few shady protagonists and institutions and aside from a few exceptions, you will be seriously questioning some key characters’ motives!

As for the second, I avoided falling into the trap halfway through the book by taking a break and going back with newfound eagerness and fresh eyes! And I just enjoyed the last half even more! But then, it wasn’t much of a surprise really, Gwynne has a real talent for concluding his books! And when I started to wonder where he was taking his story, John brought every thread into focus in a most exciting, tense, unexpected and emotional way!

Lastly, the difficulty with sequel series is that you need to create new characters and stories that have their own voice and aren’t copies of the old ones, while keeping a coherent link with the latter and sharing a common history and background. John Gwynne pulled off the challenge brilliantly by creating attaching personalities struggling in a much darker and grimmer world than the one we left at the end of Wrath. The story is told from 4 points of view and despite sharing one or two traits with the old characters, they all felt so real and relatable and had so much room for growth! Every action, every thought or every retort seemed to build a new layer in their personalities!


"Leaders must act for the greater good."


Friendship and family, honor and loyalty are still as central themes as gore, fights and epic battles in John’s books! You will also find familiar elements like the Warrior trials, the Shield Wall, the Sword dance, the giants’ Segul, Wolven… (the mention of these names alone made me tear up inconsolably!) Therefore, the story and plot felt at the same time original and very familiar (coming of age trope, Good vs. Evil, angels and demons, strong family and friendship and human-animal links…) compared to Malice!

Which brings me to my most important point: NOSTALGIA! For those of you who’d read and loved tFatF, this book will feel all the more like a precious gift, with a huge sentimental value!! Gwynne celebrated his old cast in such a touching, exquisite way! I felt a pang of pain and nostalgia and love every time one of the old crew members was mentioned (this is no spoiler since more than a century has passed and naturally iconic characters died, but although I expected that, I still felt their loss as if they were friends or family!).

For that reason alone I wholeheartedly recommend to start with the tFatF series. The major events of Wrath are briefly reminded throughout the book. However, if you’re new to Gwynne’s work and want to start with this book, you totally can! Gwynne made an excellent job giving enough background and history to make you understand the context and the world of his new story.


"And so many of them gone, now. But their memory lives on. We shall never forget."


I feel like great but also dreadful paths are to be expected in the sequels! The tone of A time of Dread was definitely so much darker than the tFatF in my opinion and I wondered if some events and creatures wouldn’t qualify as Grimdark elements. There was also less humor and relief, for this is indeed a time of dread, with nothing except the bittersweet, warm memories and the unbreakable family links to alleviate the darkness! I can’t wait to delve into the next books and see where John’s taking us!

I thought this was a great introduction to this new fantasy trilogy. I am new to this author but when I saw this new book coming out I was intrigued to check it out. There are multiple perspectives throughout the book; each is compelling and each has a distinctive voice. However if you are not a fan of multiple perspective, than it is perhaps something to be aware of going in. I personally felt it was done very well. All of the characters are well written and there are many intriguing characters. I thought the plot was quite compelling and the world building was done well. I will say I found the first part quite slow and so it did take me a little while to become invested in the story. Perhaps due to this slow pace I didn't find the story as compelling as I thought I would. I did still really enjoy it though. I think it does pick up after the first half. I did figure out what a certain revelation was at the end but I still enjoyed reading it. Overall this was a great introduction and I'm definitely interested in continuing with this series.