BLOOD OF THE HUNTED
by
Marc R. Micciola
Fantasy
Publisher: Centaury Lilium Publishing
Publication Date: December 15, 2022
Page count: 699 pages
ASIN: B0BJ15XFH8
Thank you for stopping by Guatemala Paula Loves to Read! This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Marc Micciola will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.
SCROLL DOWN FOR GIVEAWAY!
SYNOPSIS:
The Resistance Is Rising
Weylyn, Olwen, and other members of the marginalized and subjugated group known as the Tóráin are trying every day to gain equality and freedom. Their enemies, which consist of vile human monarchs, their soldiers, and a masked witch assassin known only as The Dove, continue to tighten their grip around the necks of the Tóráin.Leading The Resistance, Weylyn and Olwen endure many trials that test them physically and mentally, relying on their loved ones to keep them from losing hope. They both wish to see a time of equality and peace, but to achieve that requires more than what they have. Desperation leads The Resistance to find new allies all across the continent of Kosavros with the goal of finally defeating their oppressive overseers.
Their fight for freedom and respect leads Weylyn and Olwen down paths that open their eyes to new dangers, both involving themselves and the rest of the world. However, they do not waiver. For the Tóráin are known for their resilience, and they have already endured much.
What comes next will be hard, but they’re ready to fight for their lives. Together.
Read an Excerpt:
Tears started to fill my eyes as I watched the soldiers bark out instructions to the witches, the women casting spells to torment the brave lycan they had restrained. I was mad at myself for doing so, but I looked away. I looked up, blinking away the water from my eyes as I stared at the looming image of the Sainte Mère Cathedral. I inspected the spires and the stained-glass window high above us as I tried to gather myself. The gothic church’s shadow stretched over nearly the entirety of Dame Square, swallowing the crowd in darkness despite the sun shining brightly in the afternoon sky. After taking a deep breath, I forced myself to look back down at the stage. The image I saw would give every single Tórán who had braved the crowds today a great pain in their heart. The lycan before me meant a lot to our community. He was always empowering those who were deemed devils simply because they were different. We all knew we were hated, but that lycan made us feel like we were worth something. He made me who I am today, and now I had to watch someone take him from me. Today, they were executing the most important person in my life: my father.
My Review:
5 stars!
When humans are “the monsters,” it’s not safe for anyone or
anything.
Blood of The Hunted has a riveting beginning, opening
with a tortuous execution of a lycan. I was immediately invested in the plight
of the Tóráin, and Weylyn and his companions, in particular. With its fast
take-off, the pace was set for the rest of the book; the action was always ON.
The story is dark and disturbing at times, not only for the
cruelty of the ruling class but its allegorical underpinnings to the history
and circumstances of our own societies’ class struggles. The author also
presents the less used take on epic fantasy quests by establishing humankind as
the villainous monsters while the “monsters,” the satyrs, sprites, lycans,
etc., are the heroes.
I really liked the four main characters: Weylyn, Rosalie,
Olwen, and Keagan, though the latter two were my clear favorites. Each one is a
unique and heroic individual. I enjoyed the changes in point-of-view as one or
another took over the narration of the story.
The author’s writing style made
for easy and comfortable reading, with well-done dialogue a strength. I also
liked the “just right” amount of foreign phrases sprinkled throughout and was
delighted to see a Language Key included at the end of the book. However, coming in at almost 700 pages (according the Amazon listing), this book is a commitment, and at times, the author tended to over-describe (just got a little wordy). But don't be afraid, just be prepared. It is a long but worthy journey. (Think A Game of Thrones!)
A well-known bonus of this genre is fantastic world-building,
and I was not disappointed. The world of Kosavros is awash in atmosphere, with
different types of homes, bars, towns, waterways, and mountainous terrain all
lending hands to create the whole. I’d also like to compliment the designer of
the lovely chapter headings. I was reading an advance review copy, which
typically do not include illustrations, so I don’t know if there will be a map
in the finished edition, but it would be great if there were.
This new dark epic fantasy is bursting at the seams with
intrigue and action! I recommend BLOOD OF THE HUNTED to fantasy readers who
enjoy robust epic tales of heroes and magic and aren’t afraid to venture into a
darker story.
About the Author:
Thank you so much for hosting Blood of The Hunted! And thank you once more for the lovely review! I'm so glad you enjoyed it as much as you did! Believe me when I say your kind words have not gone unnoticed. I hope you have a lovely holiday season Karen. Again, thank you so much :)
ReplyDeleteI was totally involved with this story - can't ask for more (well, except for more books.) I appreciate you choosing to do a book blog tour and for stopping by the blog.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes for complete success!