Blood Skies

by Steven Montano

[inlibrisveritas]

Blood Skies is the first book in a series that reads like an epic fantasy but is set in a world carved from the depths of hell. It’s a dark and death filled shadow of a world, and literally no one seems safe.

I’m in love with the lore that Steven created for the world in Blood Skies. The world as we know it has fallen into ruin and decay thanks to a mysterious event called The Black. The undead roam and kill, odd creatures hunt down humans, and some humans now have the capacity to use magic. There are vampires, wights, ghouls, creepy forests and those are not even the creepiest creatures lurking in the shadows. I also love the magic system. The fact that it’s more complicated than “oh I have magic just because” is a huge draw for me. The connected spirit companions and their roles was an incredibly new concept to me and I love it when books surprise me and offer something new. I’m already a fan of Steven’s writing thanks to his other series (The Skullborn Trilogy) so it’s no surprise that I enjoyed it here. I had a few issues trying to understand everything in the beginning but I’m use to the learning portion when it comes to ‘epic fantasy’. It takes a while to process it’s just a matter of enjoying the ride, and I did.

Eric Cross is a mage with the Southern Claw Alliance, and he has been tasked to track down a very dangerous traitor along with his squad. Of his group he is the one with the least experience but thanks to his magic he can hold his own. Eric goes through a lot in this book, and while he doesn’t have the best disposition at times (and I can’t really blame him) he does have a lot of willpower and courage to keep moving forward. He has his flaws but he also has a ton of strengths that far outweigh any negative and make him a character worth following.

Overall I think this is a series worth trying out! It won’t be for everyone, but if you enjoy epic fantasy with a dark twist then please go check it because I need to talk to someone about the ending!!