A Time of Blood

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 colours and sharper contrasts' - Robin Hobb on A Time of Dread (book one) Defy the darkness. Defend the light . . . At the battle of Starstone Lake, Drem and his friends witnessed horrors they'll never forget. They saw magic warping men into beasts and a demon rise from the dead, creating something new and terrifying. So they flee to warn the Order of the Bright Star. But the demons' high priestess, Fritha, is determined to hunt them down. Concealed in Forn Forest, Riv struggles to understand her half-breed lineage. It represents the warrior angels' most dangerous secret, so when their high captain tracks her down, he aims to kill. Meanwhile, demonic forces are gathering a mighty war-host, to crush their enemies and rule the world of man. And the angels are already fractured and facing betrayal. Like heroes of old, Riv, Drem and the Bright Star's warriors must battle to save their land. But can the light triumph when the dark is rising? A Time of Blood, the second book in the Of Blood and Bone series, is the spectacular follow-up to A Time of Dread by John Gwynne. 'A great read that accelerates the pace and goes one up on its excellent predecessor . . . Exciting, action-packed fantasy' - Mark Lawrence 'This is extraordinarily good, an epic feat of the imagination. In this series Gwynne is setting a new benchmark in fantasy. I'd love to see it on screen' - Giles Kristian

John Gwynne studied and lectured at Brighton University. He's been in a rock 'n' roll band, playing the double bass, travelled the USA and lived in Canada for a time. He is married with four children and lives in Eastbourne, running a small family business rejuvenating vintage furniture. His debut novel, Malice, won the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Debut.