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Children Trilogy #2
Leviathan's Blood
At the end of The Godless, Mireea lay in ruins, the dead of the city had risen as ghosts, and the keepers Fo and Bau had been slain by Zaifyr.
The Mireeans have now fled to the city of Yeflam with the immortal Zaifyr in chains to barter for their safety. With the threat of war arriving at the Floating Cities, Zaifyr's trial will become the center of political games. However, Zaifyr is intent on using his trial to begin a new war, a motive that many fear is an echo of the dangerous man he once was. Ayae, a young girl cursed with the gift of fire, sees a chance to learn more of her powers here in the floating city, but she is weighed down by her new responsibilities regarding the safety of the Mireean people.
Across the far ocean, exiled Baron Bueralan and cartographer Orlan have arrived in the city of Ooila with some chilling cargo: the soul of a dead man. As the two men are accepted into the city's court, they are pulled ever deeper into the Queen's web of lies and deceit. All the while, a rumor begins to spread of a man who has come ashore, whose seemingly innocent presence threatens them all.
The Mireeans have now fled to the city of Yeflam with the immortal Zaifyr in chains to barter for their safety. With the threat of war arriving at the Floating Cities, Zaifyr's trial will become the center of political games. However, Zaifyr is intent on using his trial to begin a new war, a motive that many fear is an echo of the dangerous man he once was. Ayae, a young girl cursed with the gift of fire, sees a chance to learn more of her powers here in the floating city, but she is weighed down by her new responsibilities regarding the safety of the Mireean people.
Across the far ocean, exiled Baron Bueralan and cartographer Orlan have arrived in the city of Ooila with some chilling cargo: the soul of a dead man. As the two men are accepted into the city's court, they are pulled ever deeper into the Queen's web of lies and deceit. All the while, a rumor begins to spread of a man who has come ashore, whose seemingly innocent presence threatens them all.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published May 31, 2016
7 people are currently reading
1804 people want to read
About the author
Ben Peek
39 books275 followersBen Peek is the author of the Godless, Leviathan's Blood, The Eternal Kingdom, Twenty-Six Lies/One Truth, Black Sheep, Above/Below, and the collection Dead Americans and Other Stories.
His new book will be the novella, The Red Labyrinth, published by Snuggly Books.
He lives in Sydney, Australia.
His new book will be the novella, The Red Labyrinth, published by Snuggly Books.
He lives in Sydney, Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 18, 2016
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths .
Ben Peek’s The Children Trilogy is a richly detailed, intricately plotted epic fantasy filled with magic, mystery, political machinations, world-wide conflicts, and complex, diverse characters. The immensity of the setting for this sweeping story hard to capture in a brief sentence or two, as the ancient history of this place – with its dead gods and immortal “god-touched” people – is just too prodigious; this vividly alive world with its many societies needing to be experienced to truly understand. Leviathan’s Blood a second book which refuses to be a mere placeholder for the concluding volume of a trilogy, but rather expands upon its predecessor, The Godless, adding new layers, new characters, new threats, new lands, and new wonders – even as it changes the familiar faces which you believed you already knew.
As book one, The Godless, ended, the city of Mireea has been destroyed by the armies of the Leeran, who fight for their new child god. The refugees from the destruction fleeing to the city of Yelfam, where they are not especially welcomed, but viewed with deep suspicion.
Among the Mireea refugees are two familiar characters: Ayae and Zaifyr. Each finding themselves in stressful situations. Ayae has been given the tantalizing possibility of acceptance, since the Yelfam are ruled by the Keepers (god-touched people like herself), but, even though the Mireeans do not love her, Ayae’s loyalties are still strong toward her adopted people, and she finds herself wary of the companionable words of the Yelfam and their Keepers. Zaifyr, on the other hand, arrives to the city as a prisoner, having allegedly killed two Keepers, and must await trial; his position complicated by his history as one of the original god-touched of this world: those beings who built empires and waged war across the whole of the land millennia ago before being defeated and rehabilitated – supposedly.
Also returning to the story are Heast, Captain of the Spire and Buerelan the mercenary. Heast is the battle-scarred, world-weary soldier who finally finds himself freed from his oaths as protector of the Mireeans but cannot extract himself from the ongoing conflicts. Buerelan is a mercenary sent by the Mireeans to spy on the new child god; the failure of his mission and the death of his blood-brother sending him back to his former homeland with a bottle filled with the soul of his comrade.
Each of these returning characters are caught up in a world wide event, which is spreading outward from its epicenter. New people and places disturbed by its shock waves. The true outcome of the rising of a new god not yet fully understood, but being determined day-by-day by the people who fight for and against the rising tide of events.
There are lots of wonder elements to Leviathan’s Blood, but at the top of my list is Ben Peek’s deft and creative rendering of a sweeping, diverse fantasy setting. The world he has written into existence feeling real, functioning in a realistic way. The overarching theme of the narrative a seeming desire to demonstrate that even in an epic fantasy world people’s choices have consequences on the world around them; they do affect society as a whole; and they are not always made with the most enlightened motive in mind – even by the supposed heroes.
This theme, or idea, is perfectly illustrated by the numerous characters. Each of these people the very embodiment of realistic character construction with strengths, flaws, and biases. Their decisions the driving force of the narrative, even as numerous, interconnected plots branch out before them. Readers constantly befuddled by many of their (seemingly) poor decisions. But the head-scratching nature of what these people do is what makes them so easy to visualize living beside, because they behave as if they are in our own real world. You know, the place where not all a person’s choices are made solely on the basis of what is right or wrong. Where societal biases and prejudices do play rolls in decision making. Where companion and family ties pull people one way or another. Where feelings in critical moments play a roll in the greatest of choices. And in Mr. Peeks writing, he isn’t afraid to embrace that, showcase these very human frailties, integrated them into the world, and by doing so turn this place into a real society.
But every coin has two sides to it. For every strength there is a corresponding weakness. And in Leviathan’s Blood, the great complexity of the narrative is the cause of its very weakness. Because complexity takes time. Lots of it, in fact. And that means, the biggest criticism I have of this novel is its pacing: It reads slow. All the minute details and carefully crafted characterization taking up immense page time. Mr. Peek’s tendency to break the story down into short chapters, which shift back and forth between the numerous main characters, exacerbating the problem rather than alleviating it, as no real momentum can be built in the different plots before another shift takes place. All of this causing Leviathan’s Blood to really bog down at times, making it a real chore to stay focused through these slow periods.
Realism. Diversity. Complexity. Socio-political upheavals. Leviathan’s Blood is built upon each and every one of these mantras. Ben Peek creating a soaring epic of immense proportions, one which demands your complete attention to finish but rewards you in return with a unique reading experience that you will not forget. The Children’s Trilogy shaping up to become one for the fantasy ages.
I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank him for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
Ben Peek’s The Children Trilogy is a richly detailed, intricately plotted epic fantasy filled with magic, mystery, political machinations, world-wide conflicts, and complex, diverse characters. The immensity of the setting for this sweeping story hard to capture in a brief sentence or two, as the ancient history of this place – with its dead gods and immortal “god-touched” people – is just too prodigious; this vividly alive world with its many societies needing to be experienced to truly understand. Leviathan’s Blood a second book which refuses to be a mere placeholder for the concluding volume of a trilogy, but rather expands upon its predecessor, The Godless, adding new layers, new characters, new threats, new lands, and new wonders – even as it changes the familiar faces which you believed you already knew.
As book one, The Godless, ended, the city of Mireea has been destroyed by the armies of the Leeran, who fight for their new child god. The refugees from the destruction fleeing to the city of Yelfam, where they are not especially welcomed, but viewed with deep suspicion.
Among the Mireea refugees are two familiar characters: Ayae and Zaifyr. Each finding themselves in stressful situations. Ayae has been given the tantalizing possibility of acceptance, since the Yelfam are ruled by the Keepers (god-touched people like herself), but, even though the Mireeans do not love her, Ayae’s loyalties are still strong toward her adopted people, and she finds herself wary of the companionable words of the Yelfam and their Keepers. Zaifyr, on the other hand, arrives to the city as a prisoner, having allegedly killed two Keepers, and must await trial; his position complicated by his history as one of the original god-touched of this world: those beings who built empires and waged war across the whole of the land millennia ago before being defeated and rehabilitated – supposedly.
Also returning to the story are Heast, Captain of the Spire and Buerelan the mercenary. Heast is the battle-scarred, world-weary soldier who finally finds himself freed from his oaths as protector of the Mireeans but cannot extract himself from the ongoing conflicts. Buerelan is a mercenary sent by the Mireeans to spy on the new child god; the failure of his mission and the death of his blood-brother sending him back to his former homeland with a bottle filled with the soul of his comrade.
Each of these returning characters are caught up in a world wide event, which is spreading outward from its epicenter. New people and places disturbed by its shock waves. The true outcome of the rising of a new god not yet fully understood, but being determined day-by-day by the people who fight for and against the rising tide of events.
There are lots of wonder elements to Leviathan’s Blood, but at the top of my list is Ben Peek’s deft and creative rendering of a sweeping, diverse fantasy setting. The world he has written into existence feeling real, functioning in a realistic way. The overarching theme of the narrative a seeming desire to demonstrate that even in an epic fantasy world people’s choices have consequences on the world around them; they do affect society as a whole; and they are not always made with the most enlightened motive in mind – even by the supposed heroes.
This theme, or idea, is perfectly illustrated by the numerous characters. Each of these people the very embodiment of realistic character construction with strengths, flaws, and biases. Their decisions the driving force of the narrative, even as numerous, interconnected plots branch out before them. Readers constantly befuddled by many of their (seemingly) poor decisions. But the head-scratching nature of what these people do is what makes them so easy to visualize living beside, because they behave as if they are in our own real world. You know, the place where not all a person’s choices are made solely on the basis of what is right or wrong. Where societal biases and prejudices do play rolls in decision making. Where companion and family ties pull people one way or another. Where feelings in critical moments play a roll in the greatest of choices. And in Mr. Peeks writing, he isn’t afraid to embrace that, showcase these very human frailties, integrated them into the world, and by doing so turn this place into a real society.
But every coin has two sides to it. For every strength there is a corresponding weakness. And in Leviathan’s Blood, the great complexity of the narrative is the cause of its very weakness. Because complexity takes time. Lots of it, in fact. And that means, the biggest criticism I have of this novel is its pacing: It reads slow. All the minute details and carefully crafted characterization taking up immense page time. Mr. Peek’s tendency to break the story down into short chapters, which shift back and forth between the numerous main characters, exacerbating the problem rather than alleviating it, as no real momentum can be built in the different plots before another shift takes place. All of this causing Leviathan’s Blood to really bog down at times, making it a real chore to stay focused through these slow periods.
Realism. Diversity. Complexity. Socio-political upheavals. Leviathan’s Blood is built upon each and every one of these mantras. Ben Peek creating a soaring epic of immense proportions, one which demands your complete attention to finish but rewards you in return with a unique reading experience that you will not forget. The Children’s Trilogy shaping up to become one for the fantasy ages.
I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. I’d like to thank him for allowing me to receive this review copy and inform everyone that the review you have read is my opinion alone.
April 11, 2016
Two things immediately become apparent when you have read Leviathan's Blood.
One... Leviathan's Blood is a bloody awesome name for a book.
And two... Leviathan's Blood is arguably one of the best modern fantasies to come out in years.
I must admit I some mixed feelings about reading Leviathan's Blood. Sequels usually struggle to reach the heights set by their predecessor, and I was worried that this book would follow in that common tradition. Peek's first book (The Godless) had been one of my favourites when it was released, and it still sits proudly on a shelf in my bedroom. So when Leviathan's Blood was announced I was excited, yet concerned. Would it continue to build upon that rich and expansive world that Peek had created in The Godless? Would it further take the genre of epic fantasy in new and exciting directions? And would it further cement Peek as someone whose work is a must buy for me? These questions all played across my mind as I opened the cover and started reading a couple of weeks ago.
Well, after finishing it I'm happy to say that my worries were unfounded. Peek has not only exceeded my expectations with this book, he has smashed them out of the park.
Leviathan's Blood is one of those books that has layer upon layer for you to appreciate. From it's vividly beautiful world building and dynamic societal examination through to it's diverse and wonderfully cast melting pot of characters, Leviathan's Blood is the book that just keeps on giving to its reader. There is literally something here for everyone. Love magic? Peek has you covered. Adore intricately woven plots and political clashes? Peek's got your back. What about scintillating action and wide ranging conflict? It has it in spades. How's about characters with agency that make you want to laugh, cry, and scream at the sky? Yeah, you get the drift.
I literally could not find any major faults with this book. I could be extremely picky and note that in some places the pacing felt a little off (I can attribute this to the non-linear styling of Peek at times), but that would be me picking at hairs. Overall I consumed Leviathan's Blood with gusto, and fell in love with characters like Ayae and Zaifyr all over again. I was genuinely disappointed when I turned to that final page. Up until that point I had become so enthralled with the story that hadn't noticed it was drawing to a close. That's the sign of a good and well told tale!
And now, as I write this review a couple of weeks after I finished it, I still find myself pondering the wonderful ways that Peek is reinterpreting the genre of epic fantasy. Peek can hold his head high amongst that group of fantasy writers (others include Staveley, Hogan, Sanderson, Abraham, and Hurley) who are redefining the borders of epic fantasy and taking it to new places filled with excitement and uniqueness. What will the future hold with Peek on the scene and continuing to write brilliantly conceived fantasy? I have no idea. But damn, I'm excited to find out!
Leviathan's Blood is one of the most unique and enthralling epic fantasies that I have read in recent years. Peek's vision and execution are wonderful, and his deft and creative touch with this series a joy to behold. If Peek continues to write to this standard he will go down in history as a master of the genre.
Highly recommended.
4.5 stars out of 5.
One... Leviathan's Blood is a bloody awesome name for a book.
And two... Leviathan's Blood is arguably one of the best modern fantasies to come out in years.
I must admit I some mixed feelings about reading Leviathan's Blood. Sequels usually struggle to reach the heights set by their predecessor, and I was worried that this book would follow in that common tradition. Peek's first book (The Godless) had been one of my favourites when it was released, and it still sits proudly on a shelf in my bedroom. So when Leviathan's Blood was announced I was excited, yet concerned. Would it continue to build upon that rich and expansive world that Peek had created in The Godless? Would it further take the genre of epic fantasy in new and exciting directions? And would it further cement Peek as someone whose work is a must buy for me? These questions all played across my mind as I opened the cover and started reading a couple of weeks ago.
Well, after finishing it I'm happy to say that my worries were unfounded. Peek has not only exceeded my expectations with this book, he has smashed them out of the park.
Leviathan's Blood is one of those books that has layer upon layer for you to appreciate. From it's vividly beautiful world building and dynamic societal examination through to it's diverse and wonderfully cast melting pot of characters, Leviathan's Blood is the book that just keeps on giving to its reader. There is literally something here for everyone. Love magic? Peek has you covered. Adore intricately woven plots and political clashes? Peek's got your back. What about scintillating action and wide ranging conflict? It has it in spades. How's about characters with agency that make you want to laugh, cry, and scream at the sky? Yeah, you get the drift.
I literally could not find any major faults with this book. I could be extremely picky and note that in some places the pacing felt a little off (I can attribute this to the non-linear styling of Peek at times), but that would be me picking at hairs. Overall I consumed Leviathan's Blood with gusto, and fell in love with characters like Ayae and Zaifyr all over again. I was genuinely disappointed when I turned to that final page. Up until that point I had become so enthralled with the story that hadn't noticed it was drawing to a close. That's the sign of a good and well told tale!
And now, as I write this review a couple of weeks after I finished it, I still find myself pondering the wonderful ways that Peek is reinterpreting the genre of epic fantasy. Peek can hold his head high amongst that group of fantasy writers (others include Staveley, Hogan, Sanderson, Abraham, and Hurley) who are redefining the borders of epic fantasy and taking it to new places filled with excitement and uniqueness. What will the future hold with Peek on the scene and continuing to write brilliantly conceived fantasy? I have no idea. But damn, I'm excited to find out!
Leviathan's Blood is one of the most unique and enthralling epic fantasies that I have read in recent years. Peek's vision and execution are wonderful, and his deft and creative touch with this series a joy to behold. If Peek continues to write to this standard he will go down in history as a master of the genre.
Highly recommended.
4.5 stars out of 5.
May 21, 2016
This review originally appeared on the Newtown Review of Books ( http://www.newtownreviewofbooks.com )
I’m not overstating things when I say that Ben Peek is one of the most accomplished writers of richly detailed and intricately plotted epic fantasy working in Australia today. When I reviewed The Godless, the first book in his Children trilogy, I said Peek gave George RR Martin a run for his money. Book Two, Leviathan’s Blood,keeps him well and truly at that high-water mark.
The world of the Children trilogy is suitably epic in scope, wrecked as it has been by the aftermath of a battle between the gods that took place thousands of years ago. The sun is shattered, making its way across the sky in a series of broken shards. The sea is dark and toxic, flooded with the blood of the titular Leviathan. The mountains have grown on the back of god-corpses. And the people live in fear of the god-touched, receptacles of the remnants of godly power that spilled across the land in the final terrible conflict.
The god-touched are immortal. Five of the earliest raised empires, fought terrible battles, destroyed whole nations and wrought awful suffering across the face of the globe. In The Godless one of these, Zaifyr – who can harness the power of the dead – was trapped in the siege of the mountain city of Mireea by the army of a new child goddess coming out of the nearby land of Leera. A goddess who threatened to start a new cycle of wars that would kill countless millions. But Zaifyr discovered her power had an even darker side, preventing the dead from leaving this plane so that not even death was a release from suffering.
In Leviathan’s Blood, Zaifyr travels with the Mirreeans, fleeing the Leeran army of the child goddess to the rocky land of Yeflam, perched above the deadly ocean. There he is to stand trial for the murder of two Keepers – god-touched members of the Yeflam Enclave – who have tried to infect the Mireeans with a deadly disease. But what he really wants is to rally the Yeflam people to fight against the new goddess and free the living and the dead.
But not all the people of Yeflam are happy to see so many Mireeans on their borders:
With the people of Mireea in a precarious situation, Buerlan Le, the mercenary who was sent with his band to spy on the goddess, is now on a personal mission to the homeland he was exiled from, carrying a bottle containing the soul of his dead comrade. And Heast, the Captain of the Spine, is released from his role as protector of the Mireeans when he learns that Refuge – the mercenary group he used to command – still has need of him.
Actions have consequences that are rooted not just in the socio-political truth of the times – a truth that could be ripped from the front page of today’s real-world newspapers – but also in the characters, the cities, the alliances and rivalries, the personal and shared histories and myths of Leviathan’s Blood. Such richly detailed storytelling makes for a strong degree of verisimilitude despite the more fantastic elements it contains. This is a world and a group of characters you can believe in.
It’s true to say that as a result the plot is not particularly fast-paced. This isn’t ‘shot-glass fantasy’, delivering a sudden jolt and a euphoria that fades all too quickly without leaving much of an aftertaste. This is a story to be decanted slowly into a brandy snifter and warmed in your hands as you savour its complexity.
It’s equally impressive to realise that after what has gone before in The Godless, everything we thought we knew and understood changes in Leviathan’s Blood as we learn more about the characters as they move out into a wider and far more dangerous world. This is not a ‘placeholder’ book, marking time for the trilogy’s final volume.
If I were allowed one quibble, it’s the shortness of the chapters, particularly in the first half of the book. At times I felt I’d only really got into the swing of a particular narrative thread before the focus of the novel jumped elsewhere.
While there is much to ponder in the story, there’s also some impressive action amongst the revelations and worldbuilding. Peek writes fight scenes very well and when his characters exercise their god-like powers it plays out across the inner eye like some dark and gritty superhero movie mashed together with the best Ang Lee-inspired martial arts film. This is a vicious world and it forces those blessed or cursed with power to make equally vicious choices:
It’s impossible to provide an overview of the scope of the story here. Leviathan’s Blood covers a lot of ground, deepening our understanding and introducing new threats, new and terrifying characters, new lands and new wonders all vividly and indelibly portrayed.
If you’re a lover of epic fantasy and you’re not reading the Children books, you’re missing out.
I’m not overstating things when I say that Ben Peek is one of the most accomplished writers of richly detailed and intricately plotted epic fantasy working in Australia today. When I reviewed The Godless, the first book in his Children trilogy, I said Peek gave George RR Martin a run for his money. Book Two, Leviathan’s Blood,keeps him well and truly at that high-water mark.
The world of the Children trilogy is suitably epic in scope, wrecked as it has been by the aftermath of a battle between the gods that took place thousands of years ago. The sun is shattered, making its way across the sky in a series of broken shards. The sea is dark and toxic, flooded with the blood of the titular Leviathan. The mountains have grown on the back of god-corpses. And the people live in fear of the god-touched, receptacles of the remnants of godly power that spilled across the land in the final terrible conflict.
The god-touched are immortal. Five of the earliest raised empires, fought terrible battles, destroyed whole nations and wrought awful suffering across the face of the globe. In The Godless one of these, Zaifyr – who can harness the power of the dead – was trapped in the siege of the mountain city of Mireea by the army of a new child goddess coming out of the nearby land of Leera. A goddess who threatened to start a new cycle of wars that would kill countless millions. But Zaifyr discovered her power had an even darker side, preventing the dead from leaving this plane so that not even death was a release from suffering.
In Leviathan’s Blood, Zaifyr travels with the Mirreeans, fleeing the Leeran army of the child goddess to the rocky land of Yeflam, perched above the deadly ocean. There he is to stand trial for the murder of two Keepers – god-touched members of the Yeflam Enclave – who have tried to infect the Mireeans with a deadly disease. But what he really wants is to rally the Yeflam people to fight against the new goddess and free the living and the dead.
But not all the people of Yeflam are happy to see so many Mireeans on their borders:
The afternoon’s sun had sunk beneath the black ocean when the pieces of paper began to settle on the dirt and sand. For a while, they went unnoticed: Lieutenant Mills, white and gray-haired, had finished recording who would share with whom when a piece of paper came snaking along the narrow lanes. It stuck on the cloth of a freshly staked tent, where it was picked up by a guard. Ayae was one of the next to pick up a piece. It was a single sheet of Yeflam’s dirt-coloured recycled paper, with the words GO BACK HOME written in big, block letters on it. When she showed it to Caeli, who stood next to her, the guard swapped her for one with a picture of the Mireean people standing on the edge of Yeflam. They were tipping the great stone city as if it were a boat, tipping it into the waiting Leeran forces, which held swords and catapults and stood on the bones of their enemies. Ayae balled up the picture in her hand and turned to the stone platform of Neela behind her, where the city’s lamp revealed children throwing the papers over the edge gleefully.
‘Lovely,’ Caeli said beside her. ‘Just lovely. Nothing makes me happier than adults using kids to say what they’re afraid to say.’
With the people of Mireea in a precarious situation, Buerlan Le, the mercenary who was sent with his band to spy on the goddess, is now on a personal mission to the homeland he was exiled from, carrying a bottle containing the soul of his dead comrade. And Heast, the Captain of the Spine, is released from his role as protector of the Mireeans when he learns that Refuge – the mercenary group he used to command – still has need of him.
Actions have consequences that are rooted not just in the socio-political truth of the times – a truth that could be ripped from the front page of today’s real-world newspapers – but also in the characters, the cities, the alliances and rivalries, the personal and shared histories and myths of Leviathan’s Blood. Such richly detailed storytelling makes for a strong degree of verisimilitude despite the more fantastic elements it contains. This is a world and a group of characters you can believe in.
It’s true to say that as a result the plot is not particularly fast-paced. This isn’t ‘shot-glass fantasy’, delivering a sudden jolt and a euphoria that fades all too quickly without leaving much of an aftertaste. This is a story to be decanted slowly into a brandy snifter and warmed in your hands as you savour its complexity.
It’s equally impressive to realise that after what has gone before in The Godless, everything we thought we knew and understood changes in Leviathan’s Blood as we learn more about the characters as they move out into a wider and far more dangerous world. This is not a ‘placeholder’ book, marking time for the trilogy’s final volume.
If I were allowed one quibble, it’s the shortness of the chapters, particularly in the first half of the book. At times I felt I’d only really got into the swing of a particular narrative thread before the focus of the novel jumped elsewhere.
While there is much to ponder in the story, there’s also some impressive action amongst the revelations and worldbuilding. Peek writes fight scenes very well and when his characters exercise their god-like powers it plays out across the inner eye like some dark and gritty superhero movie mashed together with the best Ang Lee-inspired martial arts film. This is a vicious world and it forces those blessed or cursed with power to make equally vicious choices:
She blocked a second cut, made a wild slash with her sword and almost – the road leading to the carriage beckoned emptily as she landed – made her way through, but the mounted soldiers came charging and she felt a blade cut into her shoulders.
Her blade swept round impossibly fast and cut the following soldier from his horse. The animal rose on its legs and she dodged back. More riders came and Ayae felt her control slip as she met the thrust of another woman. She twisted the weapon out of the woman’s grasp and grabbed her arm to pull her from the horse. She could feel the warmth in her own body, close, so very close to overwhelming her, and saw the woman recoil from the heat in Ayae’s hand. The mail sleeve began to melt, burning it into the skin of the soldier as the horse, feeling its coat smoulder, recoiled in fear and reared, throwing the woman across the stone road. Ayae took the woman’s fallen blade, longer than her first, and watched as flame immediately ran along the steel.
It’s impossible to provide an overview of the scope of the story here. Leviathan’s Blood covers a lot of ground, deepening our understanding and introducing new threats, new and terrifying characters, new lands and new wonders all vividly and indelibly portrayed.
If you’re a lover of epic fantasy and you’re not reading the Children books, you’re missing out.
August 17, 2016
This is the sequel to The Godless, and will therefore have some spoilers for that first book. Like that one, this was sent to me by the author at no cost.
Aaaaarrrrrgggghhh. The third book isn't out until 2017.
The Godless basically ends with the siege of Mireea ending badly for our friends there, with additional problems like having killed a couple of very powerful men, while Buerelan's friends are dead and the child-god is being distinctly creepy. So you just know that this second book is going to be completely full of happy, cheery adventures. Or not.
Peek's pre-prologue is from a historian writing fifty years after the siege of Mireea, which I quite like as a conceit since it allows him to remind the audience of some of the major events with a bit of chronological distance that provides for the introspection and reflection of good historical writing. The prologue itself is deeply unsettling, since we're introduced to someone who, sadly, doesn't survive (sorry, but it is kind of obvious). And that's because he's in the wrong place at the wrong time: on the coast, when Aela Ren - the Innocent, who was pretty much a myth and a rumour in the first book - comes to shore. Which bodes for the entire novel.
The Godless followed a few different perspectives; Leviathan's Blood steps it up a notch by adding more perspectives as the web of the story becomes increasingly complex. A lot of the story occurs in Yeflam, whence the survivors of Mireea have decamped as refugees - and I can't help but think that Peek's presentation of their situation, being stuck on an island with little provision and viewed with deep suspicion by the people of Yeflam - reflects current experiences of refugees, especially in relation to Australia. Ayae is having to deal with being a refugee again but also being in a unique position as someone cursed, or blessed, with a god's power - and therefore viewed very differently by the people of Yeflam, whose state is largely ruled by such people (the Keepers). She, however, largely feels loyalty to the Mireeans and their ruler - as well as to Zaifyr, who is also in a difficult position, since he's arrived in Yeflam as a prisoner for the murder of two Keepers. Which he knew would land him in hot water, to say the least. Then you've got Captain Heast, who may be my very, very favourite character since he's so much the put-upon, battle-scarred, trying-to-be-moral, old soldier (huh... so I have a type then: Sparrowhawk; Mal Reynolds; Han Solo). And then there's Buerelan, who probably has the most difficult narrative throughout this book, since it begins in such a hard place - blood-brother dead and cursed by the child-god - and it just gets worse as he goes to Ooila, the home from which he has been exiled for a very long time and where he knows he won't get a great reception.
This series is definitely one of those thats fits into the Rather Gloomy side of epic fantasy. That's not a negative, but I probably wouldn't be giving it to someone who hasn't read any since they enjoyed David and Leigh Eddings as a teen! There's a lot of difficulty for our heroes, and often our heroes aren't actually very heroic. Instead, they're fallible and frustrated and human; not always likeable but almost always compelling.
There were points at which I felt like the narrative dragged a little, when it feels like we're getting a bit bogged down in the details of how the Mireeans will get out of their difficult situation with Yeflam or the internal politicking of Zaifyr and his completely dysfunctional family. Having said that, all of those details add up to a very rich world - one where life isn't all adventures and near-misses, but where understanding realpolitik is genuinely life and death, and buying farms can be a risky manoeuvre, and who you spend time with might actually change your life.
And thus, dammit, begins the long wait for the final book.
Aaaaarrrrrgggghhh. The third book isn't out until 2017.
The Godless basically ends with the siege of Mireea ending badly for our friends there, with additional problems like having killed a couple of very powerful men, while Buerelan's friends are dead and the child-god is being distinctly creepy. So you just know that this second book is going to be completely full of happy, cheery adventures. Or not.
Peek's pre-prologue is from a historian writing fifty years after the siege of Mireea, which I quite like as a conceit since it allows him to remind the audience of some of the major events with a bit of chronological distance that provides for the introspection and reflection of good historical writing. The prologue itself is deeply unsettling, since we're introduced to someone who, sadly, doesn't survive (sorry, but it is kind of obvious). And that's because he's in the wrong place at the wrong time: on the coast, when Aela Ren - the Innocent, who was pretty much a myth and a rumour in the first book - comes to shore. Which bodes for the entire novel.
The Godless followed a few different perspectives; Leviathan's Blood steps it up a notch by adding more perspectives as the web of the story becomes increasingly complex. A lot of the story occurs in Yeflam, whence the survivors of Mireea have decamped as refugees - and I can't help but think that Peek's presentation of their situation, being stuck on an island with little provision and viewed with deep suspicion by the people of Yeflam - reflects current experiences of refugees, especially in relation to Australia. Ayae is having to deal with being a refugee again but also being in a unique position as someone cursed, or blessed, with a god's power - and therefore viewed very differently by the people of Yeflam, whose state is largely ruled by such people (the Keepers). She, however, largely feels loyalty to the Mireeans and their ruler - as well as to Zaifyr, who is also in a difficult position, since he's arrived in Yeflam as a prisoner for the murder of two Keepers. Which he knew would land him in hot water, to say the least. Then you've got Captain Heast, who may be my very, very favourite character since he's so much the put-upon, battle-scarred, trying-to-be-moral, old soldier (huh... so I have a type then: Sparrowhawk; Mal Reynolds; Han Solo). And then there's Buerelan, who probably has the most difficult narrative throughout this book, since it begins in such a hard place - blood-brother dead and cursed by the child-god - and it just gets worse as he goes to Ooila, the home from which he has been exiled for a very long time and where he knows he won't get a great reception.
This series is definitely one of those thats fits into the Rather Gloomy side of epic fantasy. That's not a negative, but I probably wouldn't be giving it to someone who hasn't read any since they enjoyed David and Leigh Eddings as a teen! There's a lot of difficulty for our heroes, and often our heroes aren't actually very heroic. Instead, they're fallible and frustrated and human; not always likeable but almost always compelling.
There were points at which I felt like the narrative dragged a little, when it feels like we're getting a bit bogged down in the details of how the Mireeans will get out of their difficult situation with Yeflam or the internal politicking of Zaifyr and his completely dysfunctional family. Having said that, all of those details add up to a very rich world - one where life isn't all adventures and near-misses, but where understanding realpolitik is genuinely life and death, and buying farms can be a risky manoeuvre, and who you spend time with might actually change your life.
And thus, dammit, begins the long wait for the final book.
August 22, 2017
Even more better and tightly plotted than its precursor. Leviathan's Blood follows right from where the Godless ends. Here, we see the people of Mirrea as refugees in the floating cities of Yeflam, and their efforts to find a place in the midst of other Immortals. We also get to know more about the religious war of the Leerans and their child-god. As in the first book, the narrative is given force through the experiences of the three principal characters - Ayae, Zaifyr, Burelan.
This book gives greater insight into the characters that it tends to establish in the story. Ayae navigates through the ups and downs of her unusual life and leaens more about her power. She infact finds confidence and strength inspite of her grief and the loss of her friends. Burelan goes back to his homeland as a broken man to find death for himself, but finds place in the First Queen's court and her politics. Through him we are able to glimpse a little into his past, and also about the history of the five kingdoms under the Queens. Zaifyr has remained as the more complex and interesting character for me. He forms a bond with Ayae and tells her about his experiences in the godless world, and helps in understanding about the nature and power of the Gods. Being bound in chains and convincing the Keepers to go to war against the Leeran God, he is the sole motivator to the unfolding events in Yeflam, and his trial acts as the catalyst in the imminent cataclysm. Speaking about characters, we here get to read about the infamous Innocent and his heinous deeds, and he seems to be one hell of a grey character, villainous yet presenting himself as a justifying force to be true in his actions. Ben Peek has written amazing characters in this book with significant developments.
Again, the world-building of Leviathan's Blood is impressive. Peek gives a detailed view into the cities and life of Yeflam. The politics between the Traders Union and the Enclave is deftly described in the story, and it is a delight to read. Most of the action takes place in Yeflam, consisting of the trial of Zaifyr and the threat of the Leerans and their god. Through slow winding of the plot Peek gives us ample opportunities to find the lost spaces between the characters as the mythology and the history of the godless world.
However, unlike the first book which was a little slow in action, this book gave way to a blast of its own. The fights between the Innocent and the Saan were a visceral treat along with the Saboteur Burelan who manages to get a better hold of the Innocent and at times even beating him in a few places. Peek gives a good view of the sword fights and it shows that he write a action scene pretty well. Oh, and one spoiler... there are monsters here, mutated by deceased souls. I particularly enjoyed reading the parts of Captain Heast and the Hollow warrior. The last half of the book goes in a blistering pace, the destruction of Yeflam, and the naming of the Leeran god...things develop at a rather good pace, though it is also somewhat of a slow burner.
Leviathan's Blood was an enjoyable read. It was a little longer than the first book, but the short chapters in episodic mode did the job easier for me. Unlike the Godless, this book focuses equally on worldbuilding, characters, and the plot developments. The most significant one being the refounding of the Refuge and naming of the New God. Ben Peek has proved that he can continue this multilayered story with standard and ease. The writing was also good, elegant and precise in fact. I'm reading the sequel now as I can't wait to finish the trilogy.
This book gives greater insight into the characters that it tends to establish in the story. Ayae navigates through the ups and downs of her unusual life and leaens more about her power. She infact finds confidence and strength inspite of her grief and the loss of her friends. Burelan goes back to his homeland as a broken man to find death for himself, but finds place in the First Queen's court and her politics. Through him we are able to glimpse a little into his past, and also about the history of the five kingdoms under the Queens. Zaifyr has remained as the more complex and interesting character for me. He forms a bond with Ayae and tells her about his experiences in the godless world, and helps in understanding about the nature and power of the Gods. Being bound in chains and convincing the Keepers to go to war against the Leeran God, he is the sole motivator to the unfolding events in Yeflam, and his trial acts as the catalyst in the imminent cataclysm. Speaking about characters, we here get to read about the infamous Innocent and his heinous deeds, and he seems to be one hell of a grey character, villainous yet presenting himself as a justifying force to be true in his actions. Ben Peek has written amazing characters in this book with significant developments.
Again, the world-building of Leviathan's Blood is impressive. Peek gives a detailed view into the cities and life of Yeflam. The politics between the Traders Union and the Enclave is deftly described in the story, and it is a delight to read. Most of the action takes place in Yeflam, consisting of the trial of Zaifyr and the threat of the Leerans and their god. Through slow winding of the plot Peek gives us ample opportunities to find the lost spaces between the characters as the mythology and the history of the godless world.
However, unlike the first book which was a little slow in action, this book gave way to a blast of its own. The fights between the Innocent and the Saan were a visceral treat along with the Saboteur Burelan who manages to get a better hold of the Innocent and at times even beating him in a few places. Peek gives a good view of the sword fights and it shows that he write a action scene pretty well. Oh, and one spoiler... there are monsters here, mutated by deceased souls. I particularly enjoyed reading the parts of Captain Heast and the Hollow warrior. The last half of the book goes in a blistering pace, the destruction of Yeflam, and the naming of the Leeran god...things develop at a rather good pace, though it is also somewhat of a slow burner.
Leviathan's Blood was an enjoyable read. It was a little longer than the first book, but the short chapters in episodic mode did the job easier for me. Unlike the Godless, this book focuses equally on worldbuilding, characters, and the plot developments. The most significant one being the refounding of the Refuge and naming of the New God. Ben Peek has proved that he can continue this multilayered story with standard and ease. The writing was also good, elegant and precise in fact. I'm reading the sequel now as I can't wait to finish the trilogy.
July 16, 2019
This series is just not my cup of tea.
August 17, 2016
“Leviathan’s Blood” is a story told with perfect pacing veined with pithy heart-stopping chapters requiring immediate recovery by the reader from the events that unfold within them—a genuine pacemaker. It’s a pulse-pounding tale that immerses you in its environment: a world you’d not long to be in (and you’d probably not be long in it nor belong in it), yet one as a reader you don’t want to leave; a place filled with gods and near-gods—some dead, some dread, some ancient, some nascent, some of great bearing, some lacking bearings; a land ripe with suns (three of them) and rotten with darkness; a setting with grotesque beings, and grand mythical ones of the Olympian kind (and not so kind); a locus of gruesome horror and sinister plans, full of memorable characters who are nuanced, complex, intriguing, and replete with piquant puzzles—they act in unexpected ways, which is to be expected when they are being cast by the brilliant son of Australia and darkling star, author Ben Peek.
There is a “Mireead” of these characters, all from Peek’s gray matter. There is Zaifyr, the charming, haunting trial god, who takes dead aim at a newly risen charismatic and ominous goddess, seemingly without the ghost of a chance of his coming out ahead (or with a head)—she is a deceptive idle enemy with enormous latent power. There is the wandering Bueralan Le who gets touched in an intimate, inappropriate way by the incipient goddess, and then feels wounded. There is Ayae who seems to carry a torch for Zaifyr, but is not yet his match. There is the First Queen who it seems is not the worst Queen, though full of theater of the type you might see of her when seated in a dark Cynama. There is The Voice of the First Queen, Zi Taela, who leaves some speechless with her beauty. There is Samuel Orlan, a cartographer of great latitude, and when we listen to Orlan do a biographical recounting of his many past avatars (male and female), we see a Woolfishly clever homage being paid to another author. There is Aelyn Meah, a real keeper. There is Jae’le, a zoomorph who is no pigeon but has a full tank of petrol and often wings it. There is Aned Heast, a man of true spine and a warrior of “leg-end.” There is Aela Ren, called “The Innocent,” though usually leaving others out of sense, rather than innocence. And the list goes on; this is not a listless novel—which reminds me not to forget to mention the plot—or rather plots—before I plotz. They are masterfully written, as is the prose that frames them, and will keep you engaged longer than Angelina Jolie, forsaking the need for Pitt stops.
“Leviathan’s Blood” is, in summary, one of the best books I’ve ever read—and that’s no mere flowing of flattery given the behemoth size of what I can draw from. It’s the second novel of a trilogy, though, so don’t waste a second, and get the first, “The Godless.” Read both in order—two books about gods may see a Ceres flower when “de meter” runs out waiting for the third, and then all Hell may break loose.
There is a “Mireead” of these characters, all from Peek’s gray matter. There is Zaifyr, the charming, haunting trial god, who takes dead aim at a newly risen charismatic and ominous goddess, seemingly without the ghost of a chance of his coming out ahead (or with a head)—she is a deceptive idle enemy with enormous latent power. There is the wandering Bueralan Le who gets touched in an intimate, inappropriate way by the incipient goddess, and then feels wounded. There is Ayae who seems to carry a torch for Zaifyr, but is not yet his match. There is the First Queen who it seems is not the worst Queen, though full of theater of the type you might see of her when seated in a dark Cynama. There is The Voice of the First Queen, Zi Taela, who leaves some speechless with her beauty. There is Samuel Orlan, a cartographer of great latitude, and when we listen to Orlan do a biographical recounting of his many past avatars (male and female), we see a Woolfishly clever homage being paid to another author. There is Aelyn Meah, a real keeper. There is Jae’le, a zoomorph who is no pigeon but has a full tank of petrol and often wings it. There is Aned Heast, a man of true spine and a warrior of “leg-end.” There is Aela Ren, called “The Innocent,” though usually leaving others out of sense, rather than innocence. And the list goes on; this is not a listless novel—which reminds me not to forget to mention the plot—or rather plots—before I plotz. They are masterfully written, as is the prose that frames them, and will keep you engaged longer than Angelina Jolie, forsaking the need for Pitt stops.
“Leviathan’s Blood” is, in summary, one of the best books I’ve ever read—and that’s no mere flowing of flattery given the behemoth size of what I can draw from. It’s the second novel of a trilogy, though, so don’t waste a second, and get the first, “The Godless.” Read both in order—two books about gods may see a Ceres flower when “de meter” runs out waiting for the third, and then all Hell may break loose.
January 8, 2021
I hate wanting to to really like a book, but not being able to. I lore in the world is great and original but it still was not able to save this book for me.
I had 3 main issues with this book.
1. Short chapters and bad pacing
2. Felt like a lot was left out, and had to play catch up in many scenes
3. An unclear size of the geography
1. The chapters were needlessly small. It seems to be the authors writing style, but because a chapter would end after only a few pages [and when I say a few I mean 3. There were multiple chapters that were one side of a page.], no real momentum could be built up. There was just a constant break in the stream of the story when it kept switching to another character. It's not like there would be a lot of, or any time advancement, when we returned to the scene. Because of this it made it really hard to actually car about what happened.
2. I don't know how to really put this, but it felt like explanations or scenes were left out. It's like the author knew what happened in between so for him there was a full story, but what made it onto paper was fragments of it. This caused me to be at a loss for what was happening or even why it was happening for a large portion of this book. And I do understand not just writing in info dumps, but there are better ways to do it I think.
3. I love books with maps at the beginning of them, and I wish there was more in the book. I am unclear how exactly Yeflam is laid out. It is mentioned as being a country, but it also is described as a series of cities built on stone pedestals. The thing is it seems like its just a hop, skip and a jump from city to city. To me this is more of just large districts in one big city and that Yeflam is no where near the size of a whole country. Mireea was also said to be a country but is regularly described as one city that was wall and defended as one thing in the first book. It actually seems like many of the countries in the book are no more than a couple days journey across if that. The lack of a clear understanding of the appropriate sizes of different places is jarring.
I had 3 main issues with this book.
1. Short chapters and bad pacing
2. Felt like a lot was left out, and had to play catch up in many scenes
3. An unclear size of the geography
1. The chapters were needlessly small. It seems to be the authors writing style, but because a chapter would end after only a few pages [and when I say a few I mean 3. There were multiple chapters that were one side of a page.], no real momentum could be built up. There was just a constant break in the stream of the story when it kept switching to another character. It's not like there would be a lot of, or any time advancement, when we returned to the scene. Because of this it made it really hard to actually car about what happened.
2. I don't know how to really put this, but it felt like explanations or scenes were left out. It's like the author knew what happened in between so for him there was a full story, but what made it onto paper was fragments of it. This caused me to be at a loss for what was happening or even why it was happening for a large portion of this book. And I do understand not just writing in info dumps, but there are better ways to do it I think.
3. I love books with maps at the beginning of them, and I wish there was more in the book. I am unclear how exactly Yeflam is laid out. It is mentioned as being a country, but it also is described as a series of cities built on stone pedestals. The thing is it seems like its just a hop, skip and a jump from city to city. To me this is more of just large districts in one big city and that Yeflam is no where near the size of a whole country. Mireea was also said to be a country but is regularly described as one city that was wall and defended as one thing in the first book. It actually seems like many of the countries in the book are no more than a couple days journey across if that. The lack of a clear understanding of the appropriate sizes of different places is jarring.
June 25, 2016
This is book two in 'The Children' trilogy (though the cover is very subtle about this fact!). To be fair: there is a short report/historical document that neatlys summarises the action from the first book, so you could probably go into this book 'blind'. Things that I love about this book: beautifully written, and full of diverse characters - both in terms of gender and race (and I guess god-status :D). This book expands from the first book with more point of view characters and action happening in very different areas of the world - i liked the introduction of Ooila and the (rather fraught) court of the First Queen. The story is a bit more fractured than the first (where everything was happening in the same city - more or less), but the chapters are really well organised, in terms of building to the climax. The book ends on more of a cliffhanger than the first book (which is not unwelcome!) At this stage I have no idea how this is all going to end...
April 11, 2016
You can read the prologue for free on Pan Macmillan's site here.
A different extract is here.
And:
Leviathan's Blood Soundtrack
(Before anyone asks: No, this isn't a review, but rather simply a place where I'll leave a few links for those interested. If you're curious as to why I gave it five stars... well, it's clearly the best second book in a trilogy I have ever written. It's also the only one.)
A different extract is here.
And:
Leviathan's Blood Soundtrack
(Before anyone asks: No, this isn't a review, but rather simply a place where I'll leave a few links for those interested. If you're curious as to why I gave it five stars... well, it's clearly the best second book in a trilogy I have ever written. It's also the only one.)
May 9, 2016
Awesome.
Proper review coming.
Proper review coming.
March 15, 2019
Leviathan's Blood kicks off straight after the previous book with Zaifer trying to get his point across about his actions! :D This sets up a tension with the Keepers who are busily trying to put on their best innocent faces, and making out they didn't know what was happening in their own organisation! :D This tension then runs parallel with the other events taking place such as Ayae and the background skulduggery that she finds herself uncovering! :D On the face of it Leviathan's Blood seems like a political book but the book packs the action in from the start! :D Peek has his characters leap from one fight scene to another! :D This is of course interspersed with the other parts of the book, this contrast works brilliantly though as every scene has incredible pace and never lets up! :D Bueralan's showdown fight with Aela Ren is pure grit and is reminiscent of the Red Country by Joe Ambercrombie, Heast's ruthlessness is cold but for the great good, these all serve as great examples of what Leviathan's Blood almost causally brings out onto the page! :D
The books structure of Chapters and books within a book works brilliantly as well, really keeping the pace and dynamics flowing! :D The storyline appears unconnected but as things start dropping into place you realise how they all interleave! :D The story really makes you put in a mind a jigsaw as all the elements drop into place! :D Zaifer seem to be cleverly aware of this and Peek has his character and the other put through the ringer because of this! :D The characterisation is brilliant from Zaifer who comes across as a clever clogs, to Ayae who finds herself confronted with situations she would not rather be in! :D She would do great at campfire making with her pyrotechnic tendencies! :D All the other characters such as the First Queen, Bueralan, Taeli etc all get backstories and equal development making for an action packed booked that literally drips epic off the page! :D
Leviathan's Blood never lets up from the start! :D It has great plot development, character development and epic battles! :D At the same time Leviathan's Blood really drops in plot threads all the time getting things ready for future plots! :D Leviathan's Blood is a break necked paced book that will have you up late to see what happens from the start! :D Leviathan's Blood is full of daring do, wobbly ethics, adventures and action packed throughout! :D Brilliant stuff and highly recommended! :D Make sure you have the next one! :D
The books structure of Chapters and books within a book works brilliantly as well, really keeping the pace and dynamics flowing! :D The storyline appears unconnected but as things start dropping into place you realise how they all interleave! :D The story really makes you put in a mind a jigsaw as all the elements drop into place! :D Zaifer seem to be cleverly aware of this and Peek has his character and the other put through the ringer because of this! :D The characterisation is brilliant from Zaifer who comes across as a clever clogs, to Ayae who finds herself confronted with situations she would not rather be in! :D She would do great at campfire making with her pyrotechnic tendencies! :D All the other characters such as the First Queen, Bueralan, Taeli etc all get backstories and equal development making for an action packed booked that literally drips epic off the page! :D
Leviathan's Blood never lets up from the start! :D It has great plot development, character development and epic battles! :D At the same time Leviathan's Blood really drops in plot threads all the time getting things ready for future plots! :D Leviathan's Blood is a break necked paced book that will have you up late to see what happens from the start! :D Leviathan's Blood is full of daring do, wobbly ethics, adventures and action packed throughout! :D Brilliant stuff and highly recommended! :D Make sure you have the next one! :D
February 28, 2021
Having started the series on Book Two, I must say that it isn't hard to understand what is going on without having read the first one, however I do feel that it would have been better for me to have read the first one beforehand so that I was not overloaded with characters all at once. In the beginning I found it hard to keep track of who was who and even throughout the book I found it hard to imagine what these characters looked like, but this could have been down to me having not read the first book. It took quite a while for the story to get going, I felt like not much was happening in the beginning half of the book, I felt like the pacing could have been quicker but I do not think it was so slow that it was boring. The final quarter of the book was very engaging and it was hard to predict where the story would go. Overall, I enjoyed the book but do think I would have enjoyed it more if I had the context of the first book, however it isn't too difficult to pick up as a stand alone book. I do intend to read the rest of the series.
December 19, 2018
Absolutely too intricate, complex and diverse for me. I resolutely read through to the end but I just could not connect anything together and kept losing concentration. I was, most of the time, confused and had to keep reading back a bit. Maybe I should have read the first book but I won’t be reading the third. Unfortunately just a 3 for me, and that’s generous.
January 2, 2017
I found that the action was so fast paced that I was confused. If you like plot complexity with four different mini stories going at the same time, this one is for you.
November 13, 2020
Epic in scale with an intricate storyline. Just the way I like it.
Read
November 9, 2021Did not finish around page 300 or so. It's not the book, it's me. I will come back to this when my brain works again.
June 16, 2016
*I received this in a goodreads giveaway!*
The thing about this story is that the world was all there, and often it all came together, but I was just consistently....skimming. The characters were diverse (like....so diverse. The most diverse in any story I have ever read in every way of the word) and the world building was freaking amazing, but I just felt a disconnect from the story. I've read some other reviews, and I agree that it often had to do with a lack of connection with the characters. There were way more political or action moments then there were character building moments, and often characters just seemed like a name on a piece of paper. I think at least one of the story lines should have been cut, and there should've been longer chapters to really let the focus stay on characters and the emotions of their story build.
Having said that, it was still a fascinating read. The world was so detailed, so perfectly built, and it was unlike any other I've ever read. I didn't read the first book of this series but I easily fell into the world of this one (although, like I've said, it took a while to engage with the characters) and every small detail that was brought out about the countries, the culture, the different types of people was always interesting. The sense of history was strong and there were a lot of aspects of the world that I was left wondering about (in a very good way). The image of the dead bodies of gods littered around the world....how incredible! The diversity of culture was also so well written, with none of the usual borrowing from the real world and relying on racial and cultural stereotypes. I feel like there was loads more to explore, that it was a complete world and that we had only glimpsed a portion of it. Awesome stuff!
The final third of the book certainly picked up, although the action and the violence blurred into itself often. The final face off between the people whose immense power had been established was indeed fulfilling, but it was always the smaller character moments and the world building moments that were entirely more satisfying. I think a lot could have been cut out of this story (it was loooonng) but in all honesty it was worth reading to just enjoy the pure creativity put into writing. And, honestly, I haven't read a book this inclusive and diverse (disabled main characters? World full of non-white characters? Just as many powerful female characters as male??) Serious points for that.
I would give this a 3.5 if I could, but I don't think it was quite a round-up 4. I have a feeling, however, that the next book might be much better as the plot really got going at the end!
The thing about this story is that the world was all there, and often it all came together, but I was just consistently....skimming. The characters were diverse (like....so diverse. The most diverse in any story I have ever read in every way of the word) and the world building was freaking amazing, but I just felt a disconnect from the story. I've read some other reviews, and I agree that it often had to do with a lack of connection with the characters. There were way more political or action moments then there were character building moments, and often characters just seemed like a name on a piece of paper. I think at least one of the story lines should have been cut, and there should've been longer chapters to really let the focus stay on characters and the emotions of their story build.
Having said that, it was still a fascinating read. The world was so detailed, so perfectly built, and it was unlike any other I've ever read. I didn't read the first book of this series but I easily fell into the world of this one (although, like I've said, it took a while to engage with the characters) and every small detail that was brought out about the countries, the culture, the different types of people was always interesting. The sense of history was strong and there were a lot of aspects of the world that I was left wondering about (in a very good way). The image of the dead bodies of gods littered around the world....how incredible! The diversity of culture was also so well written, with none of the usual borrowing from the real world and relying on racial and cultural stereotypes. I feel like there was loads more to explore, that it was a complete world and that we had only glimpsed a portion of it. Awesome stuff!
The final third of the book certainly picked up, although the action and the violence blurred into itself often. The final face off between the people whose immense power had been established was indeed fulfilling, but it was always the smaller character moments and the world building moments that were entirely more satisfying. I think a lot could have been cut out of this story (it was loooonng) but in all honesty it was worth reading to just enjoy the pure creativity put into writing. And, honestly, I haven't read a book this inclusive and diverse (disabled main characters? World full of non-white characters? Just as many powerful female characters as male??) Serious points for that.
I would give this a 3.5 if I could, but I don't think it was quite a round-up 4. I have a feeling, however, that the next book might be much better as the plot really got going at the end!
Want to read
November 10, 2014Book Description from - http://edelweiss.abovethetreeline.com...
The next installment in Ben Peek's crackling, unputdownable epic fantasy series, introducing an original new world and an incredible heroine.
At the end of The Godless, Mireea lay in ruins, the dead of the city had been risen as ghosts, and the keepers Fo and Bau were slain by Zaifyr.
The Mireeans have now fled to the city of Yeflam with the immortal Zaifyr in chains to barter for their safety. With the threat of war arriving at the Floating Cities, Zaifyr’s trial will become the center of political games. But Zaifyr is intent on using his trial to begin a new war that his many fear is an echo of the dangerous man he once was. Ayae, the young girl cursed with the gift of fire, sees a chance to learn more of her powers here in the floating city, but she is weighed down by her new responsibilities for the safety of the Mireean people.
Across the far ocean the exiled Baron Bueralan and the cartographer Orlan have arrived in Ooila city with some chilling cargo, the soul of a dead man. As the two men are accepted into the city’s court, they are pulled ever deeper into the Queen's web of lies and deceit. All the while a rumor begins to spread of a man who has come ashore, an innocent man whose presence threatens them all.
Leviathan’s Blood is the second installment in Ben Peek’s exciting epic fantasy series. Peek was previously nominated for the Australian Ditmar award (SciFi) in 2011 and is an internationally acclaimed author. Leviathan’s Blood will appeal to fans of vivid, and strikingly modern, epic fantasies.
The next installment in Ben Peek's crackling, unputdownable epic fantasy series, introducing an original new world and an incredible heroine.
At the end of The Godless, Mireea lay in ruins, the dead of the city had been risen as ghosts, and the keepers Fo and Bau were slain by Zaifyr.
The Mireeans have now fled to the city of Yeflam with the immortal Zaifyr in chains to barter for their safety. With the threat of war arriving at the Floating Cities, Zaifyr’s trial will become the center of political games. But Zaifyr is intent on using his trial to begin a new war that his many fear is an echo of the dangerous man he once was. Ayae, the young girl cursed with the gift of fire, sees a chance to learn more of her powers here in the floating city, but she is weighed down by her new responsibilities for the safety of the Mireean people.
Across the far ocean the exiled Baron Bueralan and the cartographer Orlan have arrived in Ooila city with some chilling cargo, the soul of a dead man. As the two men are accepted into the city’s court, they are pulled ever deeper into the Queen's web of lies and deceit. All the while a rumor begins to spread of a man who has come ashore, an innocent man whose presence threatens them all.
Leviathan’s Blood is the second installment in Ben Peek’s exciting epic fantasy series. Peek was previously nominated for the Australian Ditmar award (SciFi) in 2011 and is an internationally acclaimed author. Leviathan’s Blood will appeal to fans of vivid, and strikingly modern, epic fantasies.
July 18, 2016
Talk feast, going nowhere
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