Book Review - A TIME OF COURAGE by John Gwynne

(Title: A Time of Courage / Author: John Gwynne / Publisher: Orbit / Publication Date: April 7, 2020)

When people talk about the very best writers in the fantasy genre today, I always insist that John Gwynne's name has to be mentioned in that conversation.  His The Faithful and the Fallen series is in my Top 5 fantasy series of all-time and an excellent example of how a story can be both heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.  It's very rare that a writer has the ability to put you through so many conflicting emotions in the process of reading their books, but John has that unique knack and this has only gotten more pronounced with each subsequent release of his.

Now with his second series Of Blood and Bone, John Gwynne has expanded on the amazing story from TFatF and solidified it as one of the more imaginative fantasies of this generation.  The final volume, A TIME OF COURAGE is in my opinion the most action-packed and heart-wrenching as anything he has ever penned up to this point.  I was honored to be able to receive an early copy from publisher Orbit and would like to take a quick moment to sincerely thank them for the privilege.  Here is my review of the closing volume in both this series and the overall 7-book story arc that takes place amidst the Banished Lands
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The Demon Lord Asroth is finally free from his century long imprisonment, and what he has unleashed on Drassil and the Banished Lands is nothing short of an invasion of the damned.  And as if fighting against the dreaded Kadoshim hordes wasn't bad enough, the faithful must also contend with a swarm of violent undead killing machines called Revenants who were created by the bite of Gulla, one of the high captains of the Kadoshim.  Time could very well be running out on the Ben-Elim and their allies and darkness seems almost certain to prevail when all is said and done.

The only hope to potentially beat back the looming slaughter and annihilation rests with a band of determined fighters called the Order of the Bright Star made up of a handful of Ben-Elim and various displaced warriors from the kingdom of Drassil.  Among those who would stand against Asroth and his army is Drem, former trapper turned newest recruit of the Order.  What this group of would-be saviors of the realm lack in brute power and numbers, they more than make up for in superior strategy and guile.  But is that enough?

Is it truly enough to prevail in the final cataclysmic battle against a virtually invincible foe that shows absolutely no feelings or mercy?   Truth and Courage will be the defining rallying cry as swords clash, bones break, and fallen bodies litter the landscape of the Banished Lands.  You will not want to miss how it all ends and who emerges victorious in the end.

Well that was one of the finest reads I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing.  I knew this book was going to be one hell of a closing book, but I wasn't necessarily prepared for exactly what a smashing finale it would be.  To call this book a thrill a minute would be to sell it very short.  The sheer number of battles and amount of action that takes place in just this one book alone would fill most fantasy series in their entirety.  John Gwynne said he wanted the series to end with a bang and by golly he is true to his word and then some.

There was not a moment in A TIME OF COURAGE when I felt like I could take a breath to gather myself and when I had to put the book down for any period of time at all, I was angry because I needed to keep going.  The Kadoshim are still some of the most vile and ruthless antagonists I have ever read and part of what makes this book and series so awesome is that you literally loathe them.  Part of this is due to the fact that yes, some of my favorite characters fall at their taloned hands, and so when you read a chapter where they are present you never know if someone important to you will perish painfully.

It's one of the things among many that John Gwynne does really really well.  He puts your beloved characters in danger page after page and not knowing what may happen to them makes the reading investment that much more of a real one.  There are very few happy endings where things get all tied up in a bow for you with John's books, and it is part of the reason why I relish reading his stuff.  It's gritty, no-holds-barred, no apologies epic fantasy the way that it should be written.

If you want to read some of the very best fantasy going right now, pick up this series immediately.  I will say that I would recommend that you read his first series The Faithful and the Fallen before venturing into this one if you want the best possible experience in my opinion.  It isn't absolutely necessary as this is a self-contained trilogy, but I believe that having a solid understanding of who everyone is historically-speaking and why certain places are important will only serve to make Of Blood and Bone that much more rewarding when you undertake the journey.

I'm very sad that this series is over but at the same time I am totally psyched for John Gwynne's new upcoming series which will be Viking-based and take us away from The Banished Lands (at least for a little while).  It will be interesting to see John stretch his legs in a brand new setting filled with different characters.  

A TIME OF COURAGE will officially be released on April 7, 2020 for those who would like to buy it.  If you are the type of person who thinks that incredibly well-written characters and masterfully detailed battle scenes can't both exist together in the same story, then you absolutely must read these books because they will prove you wrong.  I'm blown away by what I just read but I can't say that I'm surprised anymore.  John Gwynne is just that great and this series is another masterpiece from what is a brilliant fantasy mind.

(My Rating: 10/10)