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A Time of Dread

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What to expect

‘Reminds me of why I became a fantasy enthusiast in the first place’ – Robin Hobb, author of Assassin’s Apprentice

The first novel in John Gwynne’s epic and stirring Of Blood and Bone trilogy.

The Ben-Elim, a race of warrior angels, once vanquished a mighty demon horde. Now they rule the Banished Lands. But their dominion is brutally enforced and their ancient enemy may not be as crushed as they thought.

In the snowbound North, Drem, a trapper, finds mutilated corpses in the forests – a sign of demonic black magic. In the South, Riv, a young, tempestuous soldier, discovers a deadly rift within the Ben-Elim themselves.

Two individuals with two world-changing secrets. But where will they lead? And what role will Drem and Riv play in the Banished Lands’ fate? Difficult choices need to be made. Because in the shadows, demons are gathering, waiting for their time to rise . . .

Continue the heroic fantasy series with A Time of Blood.

‘A truly excellent read . . . Exciting, well-written swords and sorcery’ – Mark Lawrence, author of The Broken Empire

‘John Gwynne is one of the modern masters of heroic fantasy’ – Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of Children of Time

Of Blood and Bone is set one hundred years after the end of Gwynne's Faithful and the Fallen quartet, and can be read as a standalone series. The trilogy includes A Time of Dread, A Time of Blood and A Time of Courage.

Critics Review

A truly excellent read . . . Exciting, well-written swords and sorcery. Try it on for size
Mark Lawrence
John Gwynne is of the modern masters of heroic fantasy
Adrian Tchaikovsky
Fans of epic fantasy have something to cheer about: A Time of Dread is marvellous. Gwynne's writing is superb, delivering not only twists and turns but also nuance and complexity
Sebastien de Castell
Great evils, conflicted heroes, bloody battles, betrayal, and giants riding battle bears! What's not to love?
Peter Newman
I loved A Time of Dread and read it from cover to cover in two days. I couldn't put it down
Miles Cameron
A brilliantly compelling heroic fantasy - likeable characters with nuance, a story that builds at a perfect pace, and a thrilling, climactic ending that kept me reading late into the night
James Islington
An accomplished and rousing tale of heroes and dark deeds that fans of epic fantasy will devour
Tom Lloyd
A fierce, gripping tale, and one I found hugely enjoyable
Anna Smith Spark
A brilliant and bold journey into an unpredictable world, A Time of Dread is an exciting tale of rivalry, politics and a power struggle of epic proportions
Lucy Hounsom
Gwynne does an excellent job of weaving a classic light vs dark tale while keeping it interesting . . . a sense of foreboding builds along with the pace, balanced by the overall sense of hope
SFX
The stakes are high, the characters are engaging and relatable, and the action is thrilling . . . you will storm through A Time of Dread
SciFiNow
Gwynne is a master of his craft and one of the best fantasy writers around . . . A Time of Dread is epic, unpredictable and exhilarating
FantasyBookReview
Gwynne has truly earned his place among the rank of legendary fantasy authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, and Brandon Sanderson
BookNest
Smart and well-crafted epic fantasy
SF and F Reviews
A Time of Dread reminds me of why I became a fantasy enthusiast in the first place. Fantasy can be an escape from reality, but some stories carry the reader to an enhanced reality, a place where the world seems to have brighter colors and sharper contrasts
Robin Hobb

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