New Blood, Old Bones

Eight #4

by Samer Rabadi

Now sixteen-years old, Eight is a fixture in both the Glen and Voorhei, helping to defend his adopted homes from the relentless monsters drawn by the Deer God’s influence. Yet, peace is fleeting in a world where magic and danger intertwine.

The arrival of Aslishtei’s nieces brings an unexpected an expedition to Old Baxteiyel. The hierophant of Albei has turned the ruins into the site of a deadly race, pitting teams against one another to claim the treasures hidden within. But Aslishtei’s nieces have a different plan. For them, the race is a distraction—a cover for their true goal of uncovering the secrets of the fabled Arc of Knowledge within the ruins.

The journey is fraught with peril. Dark warriors guard Old Baxteiyel’s mysteries, and the Maltran Empire's agents lurk in the shadows, intent on sabotage and spreading chaos. As Eight and his team delve into the ruins, they face battles not only with the ruins’ defenders but also with their own doubts and desires. For Eight, the expedition is more than an adventure; it’s a confrontation with his growing yearning for the unknown and the toll it takes on those he loves, particularly Ikfael, who cannot stray for long from her territory.

The clash with Baxteiyel’s dark warriors changes everything. The choices made and bonds tested in the ruins send ripples far beyond the battlefield, leaving Eight to grapple with the aftermath and the profound shift in his relationship with Ikfael.

Eight 4: New Blood, Old Bones is a tale of daring exploration, cunning strategies, and the sacrifices demanded by ambition and love. The ruins hold secrets that could reshape the world, but at what cost? Join Eight on his most dangerous journey yet, where every step challenges not just his strength, but the very foundations of his life.

Genres: Fantasy

618 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 5, 2024

Reviews

[Jack Vinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A welcome installment.

The story of a man from our world finding himself as a boy in a new world continues. Now he is 16 and has grown - continues to grow. He leaves behind old ideas and skills and picks up new ones. All in the context of a battle for the ages.

Do the stories continue? Or is this a wonderful place to set aside Ollie’s story for the one in the readers’ imagination?

[Dominic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great series, weird turn into furry adjacent romance

I love the writing, the world, and most of the story. Can't really fathom the sharp departure the author took into a anthropomorphic love interest. The tone of the writing and the character focus shifts into romance with a frankly bizarre choice.

Enjoyable book if you ignore 30% of it.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit I did not like the beginning of the book. Not the time skip - that is something I am glad for.
The relationships between Ikfael, Eight and the stargazing snake was hard to read through. Ikfael behaved more egotistical and manipulative than usual and Eight did not stand up for himself. He once more went into philosophical introspection about family and oneself, and bent over to her whims.

The last 25% surprised me. I had more or less written of the book and series, but they made up for the tough start. Im looking foreward to the next addition.

The change in path is also something Im still skeptical about. His future power seems interesting enough, but I doubt the decision to forego his storm-abilities that have now been built up for three books.

All in all I‘d give this a 3,5/5 stars and tentatively round it up due to a good last impression.

[Abby Goldsmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one heck of a unique series.

I love the world-building. The names. The hive mind telepathy thing. The power progression system. The weird relationship between Ollie, Ollie-8/Ollie and Yuki, and Ollie and Ikfael, the otter spirit of the land.

A bad guy was introduced in this book, with more on the horizon. But the threats never seem to amount to much. I felt that this installment lacked tension, and my attention waned as I listened to the audiobook. The reader gets told a lot about love--how much Ollie loves his family and how much Yuki loves Ollie and so forth--but I don't feel like those relationships are shown in enough detail to feel it.

The exception is Ikfael. She has her own personality and powers, and the relationship between her and Ollie has some cues that make it seem more real. They don't just profess love to each other. They have disagreements and revelations and conversations.

Here's my review of this series on YouTube, up through Book 4.

[Sundeep · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled at some parts of the book, but overall it was enjoyable. There was a time skip at the start of the book, which didn't really make a difference for me since I had to rely on the series summary to get familiar with the setting. It also helped that there was enough action and foreshadowing of the main plot within the first few chapters. I especially liked the power progression in this book. Also pleased that the trend of a new place to explore continued and there's a lot more promised.

[Jeff R Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

It keeps getting better!

I have re-read the series in order to read this book with it fresh in my mind. It has been such a pleasant time!
I am deeply impressed with the depth of feeling and the incredibly strong sense of humanity that comes through this author's words.
I have such a feeling of peace after reading it. I am grateful for this experience.

[Johnie C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read

I enjoyed reading this book very much and I recommend this book to anyone who likes LitRPG and progression types of books with lots of action. Very interesting magic system.

[Grant Merrifield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book 4.

Great book ,good story book 4 does not let you down.
Can't wait to read the next four books in the series.

[Am-Pm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Better and better

Lots of series weaken but not this one.
This has been a joy and a credit to the author with full rounded characters and a fascinating story.

[Doug Bradley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent conclusion to the series, leaving room for another story…chasing a spy from the race in book four.

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Exquisite Series

So well-written! Deeply imaginative of an entirely different world. The story arcs and growth are exceptional. This is true fantasy.

[Travis Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

This continues to be a high quality series in the genre. 👍🏽👍🏽

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Series has run out of steam. Also bestiality becomes a main focus.

[Danijel · Rating 3 out of 5]

For some reason, something about this book series doesn't feel right to me.

[Vader · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 star - Perfect
4 star - i would recommend
3 star - good
2 star - struggled to complete
1 star - could not finish