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Broken Stone Chronicle #2
Warlock's Sun Rising
As a mad warlock pursues the power to enslave kingdoms, two monks seek an unholy alliance with a sorceress to stop him…
Witch hunters Horskram and Adelko have foiled a wizards’ plot to conquer their homeland, but the mastermind remains at large. Now they face a race against time to find him, as he raises a superhuman army of Wadwos bent on conquest of the Free Kingdoms.
Accompanied by five of the best swords in the land - and the feckless squire Vaskrian - the two Argolians must brave the enchanted Argael forest and seek the elusive Earth Witch to have any chance of locating Horskram's mortal foe Andragorix.
Time is of the essence, as the web of deceit spun by Andragorix’s allies spreads across the realms of mortalkind to ensnare Pangonia, most powerful of the Free Kingdoms.
And on the Other Side, the King of Gehenna watches...
The Broken Stone Chronicle is a riveting tale of war, quest, magic and horror for fans of medieval fantasy, sword and sorcery, dark fantasy and epic fantasy. Buy a copy now!
Witch hunters Horskram and Adelko have foiled a wizards’ plot to conquer their homeland, but the mastermind remains at large. Now they face a race against time to find him, as he raises a superhuman army of Wadwos bent on conquest of the Free Kingdoms.
Accompanied by five of the best swords in the land - and the feckless squire Vaskrian - the two Argolians must brave the enchanted Argael forest and seek the elusive Earth Witch to have any chance of locating Horskram's mortal foe Andragorix.
Time is of the essence, as the web of deceit spun by Andragorix’s allies spreads across the realms of mortalkind to ensnare Pangonia, most powerful of the Free Kingdoms.
And on the Other Side, the King of Gehenna watches...
The Broken Stone Chronicle is a riveting tale of war, quest, magic and horror for fans of medieval fantasy, sword and sorcery, dark fantasy and epic fantasy. Buy a copy now!
622 pages, Paperback
Published September 6, 2017
16 people are currently reading
209 people want to read
About the author
Damien Black
8 books151 followersDamien Black is an author born and raised in London. The first three instalments of his five-book epic fantasy series, the Broken Stone Chronicle, are available from Amazon and the Kindle Lending Library. Click here to check them out:
viewauthor.at/DamienBlack
Or to purchase them in audio format, please visit his publisher Podium at their new website here:
https://podiumaudio.com/book-author/d...
Damien has also published an anthology of horror stories, An Urban Pentagram, and a dark fantasy novella, The Returning, also available from Amazon.
The fourth book in the Broken Stone Chronicle is due out in August 2025.
Detailed map graphics of the Broken Stone world can be obtained by contacting Damien via private message. Just enclose a working email address and he will gladly send you hi-res versions!
Thank you for your interest.
viewauthor.at/DamienBlack
Or to purchase them in audio format, please visit his publisher Podium at their new website here:
https://podiumaudio.com/book-author/d...
Damien has also published an anthology of horror stories, An Urban Pentagram, and a dark fantasy novella, The Returning, also available from Amazon.
The fourth book in the Broken Stone Chronicle is due out in August 2025.
Detailed map graphics of the Broken Stone world can be obtained by contacting Damien via private message. Just enclose a working email address and he will gladly send you hi-res versions!
Thank you for your interest.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 23, 2020
*Second read-through, still love!*
Well, Damien Black has done it again and wow-ed the socks off me with another brilliant fantasy novel which continues the brilliant story started in Devil's Night Dawning. I read Devil's Night Dawning as a judge for the #SPFBO and it was ultimately the book I chose as my personal winner, and so I knew that the second one had a lot to live up to. I was sent a free e-copy of this book from the author, but I have since also purchased a paperback copy for myself as this deserves its own spot on my bookshelf. I loved this one just as much if not more than the first, and I am already awaiting the third :D
This once more follows the characters of Horskram and Adelko, an Adept and a Novice monk who travel together on a highly important quest to inform their leaders about a missing artefact. These two remain some of the main characters in this book, and most of the other characters we follow encounter these two at some point, but I felt that some of the other characters in the book also had a chance to shine in this instalment. I think that Adelko is one of my favourite fantasy characters, because he's exactly the sort of young character I enjoy reading about, naive at first, but growing and learning with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He's a great novice, and has growing powers of his own, and he's someone I really love to back.
Horskram is again a really interesting one because he loves to keep secrets, but when he does explain things he does so thoroughly and it's through his explanations that we learn a lot of the history of this world. I really like the bond between mentor and novice, and I think there's a lot more growing and development to come in the next few books too.
We also have Hettie and Adhelina who are a young ladies-maid and her mistress, daughter of the Eorl. These two are characters who were fairly separate from the rest in book 1, but in this book their story becomes a lot more involved with the main plot-line and we get to see them in some tricky situations. Again, these two are characters who I very much enjoy reading about, although I don't relate to them as strongly as some female characters, because they are independent and determined and they never give up. I do like the mutual friendship that they have, as I don't often see that in fantasy, and I hope it continues in later books.
We have Braxus, Vaskrian and Torgun too who are all of the fighting sort. These three are thrown together by the circumstances of the first book, and they end up travelling as part of the band with the monks. They're all well-established fighters, even Vaskrian who is a squire only, and they each have their own reasons for joining the band, but ultimately they want to take down the evil warlock who is trying to unbalance and conquer the world.
Wolmar is a character who shows up far more in this story than in the last one, and I am glad about that because he does a lot of growing as a character. He starts off as a very spoilt grandson to a King, and so he is vain and full of himself (and although he can fight well he's not much liked). In this book he's sent to discuss things with a new section of the kingdom, and whilst he's there he becomes swept up by the finery and lustful court. Ultimately his will, loyalty and his own devotion are tested to the extreme, and I really enjoyed seeing him challenged and forced to consider his actions and beliefs more.
Wrackwulf is a fairly new character who comes in to this book more towards the ending, but as he joins the band I think he's worth mentioning. He's a pretty amusing fellow and another good fighter, and I think he added some good comic relief in some of the darker moments.
Alongside these stories we also have the story of Abrexta who is an evil sorceress and who has ensorcelled many people in her court to be under her command. She's the definition of a stereotypical evil lady in fantasy, and yet she's still terrifying and nasty and power-hungry and I cant help but enjoy reading about her (and hopefully her eventual downfall).
We also have the storyline of the Seacarls and the power struggle going on for the Ice Islands and although this seems a little more minor and background than the other plots in the book, I do think this will develop as the story goes on and we will se a lot more of some of these characters.
In terms of the world, I said in my review of the first one that this is such a well-developed world, and feels like it has real history to it. That statement is still utterly true in this book and all the places we went I felt had their own nobility, structure and history.
The magic of this world is all based around demons and religion and fait in the Redeemer. The monks are basically magical because they practise right-hand magic and they are able to exorcise demons and foul beings via prayer and psalms. They're basically one of the only defences the world has against demon-kind, and the prayer forms Elan to protect them.
Along-side the right-hand magic we have left-hand which is the evil magic serving the dark one. This is what all the warlocks that our main characters are fighting use, and they have to try to eradicate users of left-hand magic as they succumb to the dark ways. Sometimes there are even places (e.g. Tintagael and Draugmoors) which are made of foul magics and which have to be crossed only by the devout and wary.
Overall, this book was a whole lot of fun to read (if rather bloody and gruesome in some places - trigger - there is a rape scene) and I found it to be a really solid and wonderful continuation to the first. I love this world and I really feel invested in some of the characters and their overall mission now, so I can't wait to see what happens in the next one! I hope it's not too long to wait for the next :D 5*s from me and of course I highly recommend this series :D
Well, Damien Black has done it again and wow-ed the socks off me with another brilliant fantasy novel which continues the brilliant story started in Devil's Night Dawning. I read Devil's Night Dawning as a judge for the #SPFBO and it was ultimately the book I chose as my personal winner, and so I knew that the second one had a lot to live up to. I was sent a free e-copy of this book from the author, but I have since also purchased a paperback copy for myself as this deserves its own spot on my bookshelf. I loved this one just as much if not more than the first, and I am already awaiting the third :D
This once more follows the characters of Horskram and Adelko, an Adept and a Novice monk who travel together on a highly important quest to inform their leaders about a missing artefact. These two remain some of the main characters in this book, and most of the other characters we follow encounter these two at some point, but I felt that some of the other characters in the book also had a chance to shine in this instalment. I think that Adelko is one of my favourite fantasy characters, because he's exactly the sort of young character I enjoy reading about, naive at first, but growing and learning with the weight of the world on his shoulders. He's a great novice, and has growing powers of his own, and he's someone I really love to back.
Horskram is again a really interesting one because he loves to keep secrets, but when he does explain things he does so thoroughly and it's through his explanations that we learn a lot of the history of this world. I really like the bond between mentor and novice, and I think there's a lot more growing and development to come in the next few books too.
We also have Hettie and Adhelina who are a young ladies-maid and her mistress, daughter of the Eorl. These two are characters who were fairly separate from the rest in book 1, but in this book their story becomes a lot more involved with the main plot-line and we get to see them in some tricky situations. Again, these two are characters who I very much enjoy reading about, although I don't relate to them as strongly as some female characters, because they are independent and determined and they never give up. I do like the mutual friendship that they have, as I don't often see that in fantasy, and I hope it continues in later books.
We have Braxus, Vaskrian and Torgun too who are all of the fighting sort. These three are thrown together by the circumstances of the first book, and they end up travelling as part of the band with the monks. They're all well-established fighters, even Vaskrian who is a squire only, and they each have their own reasons for joining the band, but ultimately they want to take down the evil warlock who is trying to unbalance and conquer the world.
Wolmar is a character who shows up far more in this story than in the last one, and I am glad about that because he does a lot of growing as a character. He starts off as a very spoilt grandson to a King, and so he is vain and full of himself (and although he can fight well he's not much liked). In this book he's sent to discuss things with a new section of the kingdom, and whilst he's there he becomes swept up by the finery and lustful court. Ultimately his will, loyalty and his own devotion are tested to the extreme, and I really enjoyed seeing him challenged and forced to consider his actions and beliefs more.
Wrackwulf is a fairly new character who comes in to this book more towards the ending, but as he joins the band I think he's worth mentioning. He's a pretty amusing fellow and another good fighter, and I think he added some good comic relief in some of the darker moments.
Alongside these stories we also have the story of Abrexta who is an evil sorceress and who has ensorcelled many people in her court to be under her command. She's the definition of a stereotypical evil lady in fantasy, and yet she's still terrifying and nasty and power-hungry and I cant help but enjoy reading about her (and hopefully her eventual downfall).
We also have the storyline of the Seacarls and the power struggle going on for the Ice Islands and although this seems a little more minor and background than the other plots in the book, I do think this will develop as the story goes on and we will se a lot more of some of these characters.
In terms of the world, I said in my review of the first one that this is such a well-developed world, and feels like it has real history to it. That statement is still utterly true in this book and all the places we went I felt had their own nobility, structure and history.
The magic of this world is all based around demons and religion and fait in the Redeemer. The monks are basically magical because they practise right-hand magic and they are able to exorcise demons and foul beings via prayer and psalms. They're basically one of the only defences the world has against demon-kind, and the prayer forms Elan to protect them.
Along-side the right-hand magic we have left-hand which is the evil magic serving the dark one. This is what all the warlocks that our main characters are fighting use, and they have to try to eradicate users of left-hand magic as they succumb to the dark ways. Sometimes there are even places (e.g. Tintagael and Draugmoors) which are made of foul magics and which have to be crossed only by the devout and wary.
Overall, this book was a whole lot of fun to read (if rather bloody and gruesome in some places - trigger - there is a rape scene) and I found it to be a really solid and wonderful continuation to the first. I love this world and I really feel invested in some of the characters and their overall mission now, so I can't wait to see what happens in the next one! I hope it's not too long to wait for the next :D 5*s from me and of course I highly recommend this series :D
March 6, 2018
The first book in this series is a finalist in the SPFBO 2017 and I really loved the first one.
I always struggle with books that aren’t the first in a series because many of the plot points would be spoilers, and people who have already read the books are familiar with the characters and stuff I usually go over for reviews.
To make matters more complicated, this is a 600 page book, it’s dense, there’s a lot to talk about, but so much of it I can’t talk about.
Eh, we’ll see what happens.
This book picks up almost exactly where the last book left off. The plot, like in the last book. is split between character groupings … but with an overarching plot connecting them all together.
We have some recurring characters from last time, Adelko and Horskram are still together, and are still trying to locate the sorcerer who’s trying to bring about the end of the world. Some artefacts have been stolen and it’s believed that if they are all brought back together it could be a world-ending scenario. There are multiple “left handed” magic users who are probably involved in the artefacts theft, Abrexta and Andragorix – both rather foul people.
There’s a newer plot line that focuses on the Northlanders, who have a very Norse/viking like vibe to them. They have a trickster god named “Logi”, they love axes and shields, and are pretty barbaric – lots of raping and pillaging with these guys (first chapter no less). It seems to be something on the rise, and I expect to see more of it in the next book. This added EVEN MORE world building, this series is insane.
If you like seeing things from the villian POV you may want to check this series out. One of the “left handed” magic users, Abrexta, is seen controlling the King and we get to learn a lot about how the magic works through her. We found out in the last book there are several different schools of magic, and Abrexta’s uses imagery. When she wants to control the King she imagines a hand wrapped around a heart, and even when the King is trying to break free of her control he falls right back into line. If she needs an entire audience or room full of people to obey her, she can picture a net being cast over a school of fish and placate and control many people at the same time.
Adelko was my favorite from the last book because he ticks a lot of boxes for my favorite kind of character traits. He’s not particularly violent, he’s curious, he’s easy to relate to, he thinks before he acts, there’s no angst, and he’s a pupil under tutelage – basically all my favorite things. (He continues to be my favorite in this book as well). Horskram tends to info dump in dialogue, but I think because the way it was written I didn’t mind that much, it was fun to learn about the world with Adelko. At first, I was kind of sad Adelko and Horskram weren’t as prominent as they were in the last book, but once I got to know the newer characters and see how everything was coming together I didn’t mind so much.
Adhelina and Hettie are on their own adventure which starts off in a witches cave. Hettie has fallen ill with a fever and logic would tell Adhelina to leave her behind and get a move on – her father is hunting for her and there will be severe consequences if he finds them. She refuses to leave Hettie’s side and stays with her making herb remedies to try and help. The Witch sells them out though, and sends a messenger bird to her father telling him of their location, and so they have to flee quickly. Hettie isn’t totally recovered, and the road ahead is filled with danger.
We get more Vaskarian, who started as a squire in the last book and grows up a bit in this book. Braxus the Knight comes back as well, and I find the character interactions between him and Adelko to be rather endearing. So many characters, I can’t go through them all, but I do feel like we got to know each of them, they all had their own clear motivations and unique persona’s.
The writing style and speech are somewhat old-fashioned with lines like, “before yon winged apparition flew from your cave” or “twas nought but deviltry” – so for people who like more modern speech this may not be your thing, but I think it suited the world so it flowed for me. Since this was an ARC, I won’t be grading the “editing” portion, there were a number of errors that were mostly symbol related – however, the first book was very clean so I am going to assume that these are all going to be fixed for the final release.
The world building continues to be awesome, I understand the complaints from some that it was overwhelming, but to me, this is classic epic fantasy world building. Tons of lore and history to go along with the realms, tons of culture, tons of everything honestly.
There’s so much I feel I didn’t say but this is getting really long.
Since reviewing a book that’s not the first in the series throws off my formatting and breakdown I can’t quite score it the exact same way either. So, here’s an abbreviated version
Plot: 11/15
Characters: 12/15
World Building: 15/15
Writing: 7/10 (usually out of 15, but I’m leaving off the Editing portion since this is an ARC)
Pacing: 7/15
Originality: 10/15
Personal Enjoyment: 19/25
81/95 ~ 85/100
I always struggle with books that aren’t the first in a series because many of the plot points would be spoilers, and people who have already read the books are familiar with the characters and stuff I usually go over for reviews.
To make matters more complicated, this is a 600 page book, it’s dense, there’s a lot to talk about, but so much of it I can’t talk about.
Eh, we’ll see what happens.
This book picks up almost exactly where the last book left off. The plot, like in the last book. is split between character groupings … but with an overarching plot connecting them all together.
We have some recurring characters from last time, Adelko and Horskram are still together, and are still trying to locate the sorcerer who’s trying to bring about the end of the world. Some artefacts have been stolen and it’s believed that if they are all brought back together it could be a world-ending scenario. There are multiple “left handed” magic users who are probably involved in the artefacts theft, Abrexta and Andragorix – both rather foul people.
There’s a newer plot line that focuses on the Northlanders, who have a very Norse/viking like vibe to them. They have a trickster god named “Logi”, they love axes and shields, and are pretty barbaric – lots of raping and pillaging with these guys (first chapter no less). It seems to be something on the rise, and I expect to see more of it in the next book. This added EVEN MORE world building, this series is insane.
If you like seeing things from the villian POV you may want to check this series out. One of the “left handed” magic users, Abrexta, is seen controlling the King and we get to learn a lot about how the magic works through her. We found out in the last book there are several different schools of magic, and Abrexta’s uses imagery. When she wants to control the King she imagines a hand wrapped around a heart, and even when the King is trying to break free of her control he falls right back into line. If she needs an entire audience or room full of people to obey her, she can picture a net being cast over a school of fish and placate and control many people at the same time.
Adelko was my favorite from the last book because he ticks a lot of boxes for my favorite kind of character traits. He’s not particularly violent, he’s curious, he’s easy to relate to, he thinks before he acts, there’s no angst, and he’s a pupil under tutelage – basically all my favorite things. (He continues to be my favorite in this book as well). Horskram tends to info dump in dialogue, but I think because the way it was written I didn’t mind that much, it was fun to learn about the world with Adelko. At first, I was kind of sad Adelko and Horskram weren’t as prominent as they were in the last book, but once I got to know the newer characters and see how everything was coming together I didn’t mind so much.
Adhelina and Hettie are on their own adventure which starts off in a witches cave. Hettie has fallen ill with a fever and logic would tell Adhelina to leave her behind and get a move on – her father is hunting for her and there will be severe consequences if he finds them. She refuses to leave Hettie’s side and stays with her making herb remedies to try and help. The Witch sells them out though, and sends a messenger bird to her father telling him of their location, and so they have to flee quickly. Hettie isn’t totally recovered, and the road ahead is filled with danger.
We get more Vaskarian, who started as a squire in the last book and grows up a bit in this book. Braxus the Knight comes back as well, and I find the character interactions between him and Adelko to be rather endearing. So many characters, I can’t go through them all, but I do feel like we got to know each of them, they all had their own clear motivations and unique persona’s.
The writing style and speech are somewhat old-fashioned with lines like, “before yon winged apparition flew from your cave” or “twas nought but deviltry” – so for people who like more modern speech this may not be your thing, but I think it suited the world so it flowed for me. Since this was an ARC, I won’t be grading the “editing” portion, there were a number of errors that were mostly symbol related – however, the first book was very clean so I am going to assume that these are all going to be fixed for the final release.
The world building continues to be awesome, I understand the complaints from some that it was overwhelming, but to me, this is classic epic fantasy world building. Tons of lore and history to go along with the realms, tons of culture, tons of everything honestly.
There’s so much I feel I didn’t say but this is getting really long.
Since reviewing a book that’s not the first in the series throws off my formatting and breakdown I can’t quite score it the exact same way either. So, here’s an abbreviated version
Plot: 11/15
Characters: 12/15
World Building: 15/15
Writing: 7/10 (usually out of 15, but I’m leaving off the Editing portion since this is an ARC)
Pacing: 7/15
Originality: 10/15
Personal Enjoyment: 19/25
81/95 ~ 85/100
September 23, 2017
Warlock's Sun Rising is the second book in the Broken Stone Chronicle series that started with the current SPFBO entrant Devil's Night Dawning. This truly is epic dark fantasy that held my interest and was intriguing throughout. I'd summarize it as:
"The Exorcist meets Kingdom of Heaven"
I had a great experience reading Devil’s Night Dawning, so went into this book with high hopes. Thankfully, this story did not disappoint. This novel moved at a much quicker pace than the previous one, yet lost nothing of its enjoyability. Which means Warlock's Sun Rising is even better than its highly enjoyable predecessor. It is much darker with the personal stakes being far greater for the characters. The plot is unapologetically brave, going places some readers may find unpalatable. So, let this be a word of warning: this is not a book for the squeamish. Any novel that starts off with execution and rape in the first chapter is going to command your attention, although the following action could divide readers of the genre.
Warlock’s Sun Rising begins with Adelko and his master Horskram hunting the powerful warlock Andragorix. As it turns out, there is an even more despicable evil at work. We get to see characters from the previous book’s various story arcs finally brought together as the larger plot unfolds. And then, towards the end, it appears the plot threads are destined to separate once again...
There’s so much to discuss when it comes to this analyzing this novel. The most striking element though is the writing, which is spectacular. Damien Black is not only a consummate writer, he is also a medieval historian, who is unafraid of using the language of the period to season his prose. The reader is submerged in the world, delivered on a tide of text that achieves setting with syntax.
The novel is also notable for its compelling religious system, which is very much based on crusader-era Christianity, but tweaked in clever ways. Anyone with a knowledge of this period, the militant orders, and medieval concepts of chivalry, will give a nod of appreciation. I greatly appreciated the way religious constructs are called into question and offered up on the dissecting table.
The magic system is unique; it reminds me of isomers in chemistry, with a left-hand and right-handed path. The way the moral ambiguity of the novel’s religious concepts spills over into Black’s magic system is highly engaging.
To conclude, I am extremely excited to see what happens next for these characters and how their destinies may change their overall world-views. For fantasy book fans who like to exercise their minds and truly lose themselves in a story, I cannot recommend this enough.
An utterly unique and enthralling dark fantasy tale which I'll be thinking about until the next entrant in Black's series arrives.
(review by ML Spencer and Jamie Tivendale)
"The Exorcist meets Kingdom of Heaven"
I had a great experience reading Devil’s Night Dawning, so went into this book with high hopes. Thankfully, this story did not disappoint. This novel moved at a much quicker pace than the previous one, yet lost nothing of its enjoyability. Which means Warlock's Sun Rising is even better than its highly enjoyable predecessor. It is much darker with the personal stakes being far greater for the characters. The plot is unapologetically brave, going places some readers may find unpalatable. So, let this be a word of warning: this is not a book for the squeamish. Any novel that starts off with execution and rape in the first chapter is going to command your attention, although the following action could divide readers of the genre.
Warlock’s Sun Rising begins with Adelko and his master Horskram hunting the powerful warlock Andragorix. As it turns out, there is an even more despicable evil at work. We get to see characters from the previous book’s various story arcs finally brought together as the larger plot unfolds. And then, towards the end, it appears the plot threads are destined to separate once again...
There’s so much to discuss when it comes to this analyzing this novel. The most striking element though is the writing, which is spectacular. Damien Black is not only a consummate writer, he is also a medieval historian, who is unafraid of using the language of the period to season his prose. The reader is submerged in the world, delivered on a tide of text that achieves setting with syntax.
The novel is also notable for its compelling religious system, which is very much based on crusader-era Christianity, but tweaked in clever ways. Anyone with a knowledge of this period, the militant orders, and medieval concepts of chivalry, will give a nod of appreciation. I greatly appreciated the way religious constructs are called into question and offered up on the dissecting table.
The magic system is unique; it reminds me of isomers in chemistry, with a left-hand and right-handed path. The way the moral ambiguity of the novel’s religious concepts spills over into Black’s magic system is highly engaging.
To conclude, I am extremely excited to see what happens next for these characters and how their destinies may change their overall world-views. For fantasy book fans who like to exercise their minds and truly lose themselves in a story, I cannot recommend this enough.
An utterly unique and enthralling dark fantasy tale which I'll be thinking about until the next entrant in Black's series arrives.
(review by ML Spencer and Jamie Tivendale)
July 6, 2018
Warlock's Sun Rising is one of those rare sequels which outperforms the earlier books. While Devil's Night Dawning takes a while to get going and a bit simplistic in some plot areas, WSR is its superior not just in these two aspects but in every possible way.
As a whole, the overall book reminds me of 'A Storm of Swords' when it came to the politics, world building & twists. There is a lot more nuance to character development - almost everyone gets a decent arc. An example of Damien Black's craft - an ignoble arrogant character in the first book becomes almost noble by virtue of the circumstances and situation he is in. And vice versa.
Overall, I love this series and this book. Go for it.
As a whole, the overall book reminds me of 'A Storm of Swords' when it came to the politics, world building & twists. There is a lot more nuance to character development - almost everyone gets a decent arc. An example of Damien Black's craft - an ignoble arrogant character in the first book becomes almost noble by virtue of the circumstances and situation he is in. And vice versa.
Overall, I love this series and this book. Go for it.
March 29, 2018
I have an interview with Damien Black up on the podcast, The Nerd Book Review, where we discuss the first book in the series.I absolutely loved Damien’s first book, Devil’s Night Dawning, and I am going to say that I thought this book was even better! If you are a fan of the first novel then you will not be disappointed in round 2.
The events of this novel take place immediately after the ending of Devil’s Night Dawning. Horksram and Adelko are still on their journey to hunt down the evil Warlock’s who are causing imbalances in the world and allowing demons to make their way into our plane. They still have Vaskrian who is now the squire to Sir Braxus. In addition to Braxus we get a party of the Knights of the White Valrayven lead by Sir Torgun providing protection for the monks. Adhelina’s thread will also take her into contact with the main party during this novel.
I still love Adelko who is likeable and manages to grow his powers while still remaining likeable and amenable to seeing new possibilities and willing to listen to differing viewpoints. Horskram is still his implaccable self who is hard to like due to his zealotry.
The rivalry that develops between Sir Braxus and Sir Torgun provides tension and uncertainty to the group. We see our first cracks in Torgun’s chivalry and see that no matter who a knight thinks themselves to be they are still people who make their living based on violence. Vaskrian is one of my favorite characters even though he’s still pretty much a medieval version of a “bro” because he is what he is and I love his interactions with Adelko.
There are new POV characters who make appearances. Abrexta is the most prominent of them. She is the sorceress who has enthralled Sir Braxtus’ king and led him to seek out help in the East. She gives us a cool view into the sorcerous thought process and is a fun female antagonist. Guldebrand, a young war leader from the north has a fair amount of page time as well. The thread with Guldebrand, who is leading a group who are basically Vikings, has some very violent scenes with a lot of rape and pillaging as a heads up for readers.
This book has a bit of a darker feel to it and is much more action packed. Black continues to do some world building but a vast majority of it has been done in book 1 so the plot moves along at a far quicker pace than the first book. There is an epic battle fairly early on between the group and a sorcerer that is very well done. I have to admit to being completely surprised by 1 or 2 major twists that changed things up throughout the book and provided some legitimate “oh wow!” moments for me. There is a jousting tournament that takes place in the middle of the book that is probably my favorite tourney scene in any novel ever. Black does a great job setting the scene and describing the each tilt.
Without getting too long in this review I see no reason why you shouldn’t give this book a shot if you liked the first book in the series. I can’t wait for book 3 and can assure you I will be reading it as soon as it is available.
The events of this novel take place immediately after the ending of Devil’s Night Dawning. Horksram and Adelko are still on their journey to hunt down the evil Warlock’s who are causing imbalances in the world and allowing demons to make their way into our plane. They still have Vaskrian who is now the squire to Sir Braxus. In addition to Braxus we get a party of the Knights of the White Valrayven lead by Sir Torgun providing protection for the monks. Adhelina’s thread will also take her into contact with the main party during this novel.
I still love Adelko who is likeable and manages to grow his powers while still remaining likeable and amenable to seeing new possibilities and willing to listen to differing viewpoints. Horskram is still his implaccable self who is hard to like due to his zealotry.
The rivalry that develops between Sir Braxus and Sir Torgun provides tension and uncertainty to the group. We see our first cracks in Torgun’s chivalry and see that no matter who a knight thinks themselves to be they are still people who make their living based on violence. Vaskrian is one of my favorite characters even though he’s still pretty much a medieval version of a “bro” because he is what he is and I love his interactions with Adelko.
There are new POV characters who make appearances. Abrexta is the most prominent of them. She is the sorceress who has enthralled Sir Braxtus’ king and led him to seek out help in the East. She gives us a cool view into the sorcerous thought process and is a fun female antagonist. Guldebrand, a young war leader from the north has a fair amount of page time as well. The thread with Guldebrand, who is leading a group who are basically Vikings, has some very violent scenes with a lot of rape and pillaging as a heads up for readers.
This book has a bit of a darker feel to it and is much more action packed. Black continues to do some world building but a vast majority of it has been done in book 1 so the plot moves along at a far quicker pace than the first book. There is an epic battle fairly early on between the group and a sorcerer that is very well done. I have to admit to being completely surprised by 1 or 2 major twists that changed things up throughout the book and provided some legitimate “oh wow!” moments for me. There is a jousting tournament that takes place in the middle of the book that is probably my favorite tourney scene in any novel ever. Black does a great job setting the scene and describing the each tilt.
Without getting too long in this review I see no reason why you shouldn’t give this book a shot if you liked the first book in the series. I can’t wait for book 3 and can assure you I will be reading it as soon as it is available.
July 12, 2018
First of all, I've got an ARC in exchange of a honest review.
The full review is available on my blog: starlitbook.com/2018/07/12/warlocks-s...
Warlock’s Sun Rising picks the story up right where it was dropped in Devil’s Night Dawning. Horskram, Adelko and their companions are set out to find Andragorix and put an end to the strange happenings, while retrieving the missing stone pieces. All the while Abrexta gains even more power Braxus’ homeland and Adhelina fights against her faith with Hettie on her side. We also get a new set of POV characters besides the ones we already know: Wolmar prince of Northalde, whose mission is to caution the king of Pangonia, and the leaders of the True Temple and the Argolians of the dangers awaiting for the world. Guldebrand, who wants to unite the tribes and lands of the icy North with the help of Magnhilda. Or Hjala, princess of Northalde trying to use her influence to have her way in the current political turmoil.
Damien, as you can tell, doesn’t shy away from juggling with several POVs, keeping them all in line. Which is not an easy task. I honestly don’t know how he does it, but I think in this book even more things are happening than in the first book, so you really have to keep your eyes open if you want to follow what’s happening. One of the criticism about Devil’s Night Dawning was the pacing. With all the character and story building in place, the pace sometimes dragged and made reading it a rather tedious task. Thankfully, Warlock’s Sun Rising has no such problem whatsoever. You’d think, considering the length of the book you are bound to be bored every once in a while. But every time you think you are about to reach that point, a turn of events gets you off guard and keeps you on your toes and engaged. You might even find myself reading on despite other circumstances – I, for instance had a minor eye surgery at the time I was reading it, and was under healing, but even that couldn’t keep me away from this book. Besides, there is something in Damien’s prose that just hugs you gently like your favorite blanket and leads you gently on your path.
Having more story lines to follow definitely does some good to this book, it saves it being monotone and gives a glimpse at what happens in the other parts of the world. I like how Adelko grows as a character and questions everything, even his own religious order. The world building is still going strong, we get to know more about the world as Horskram, Adelko and the others wander from place to place. We get some magic, political games, fighting, adventure, mystery and of course romance too. Not too much, thankfully, though it was irritating how Torgun and Braxus behaved from the moment they laid eyes on Adhelina. Like teenage boys during puberty. Seriously. And they are supposed to be grown men, fighting monsters and all! Just Adhelina was more irritating, acting like she lived in a romantic fairy tale. Come on girl, get yourself together! But then, it’s well-known I’m not exactly a fan of romance, however, we have to give credit where it’s due: probably this is how romantic relationships, and love triangles worked in the medieval age. On which the whole setting is built.
Although we get to visit similar places, they can be distinguished from each other. The most memorable however, is the Earth Witch’s lair, where, once again, we meet a little furry fellow.
“‘Led by a knight-loving squirrel into the heart of a witch’s lair,’ said Braxus. ‘I’m not sure even I have the craft to put that into song.'”
Now, I’m not easily surprised, but some turn of events caught me off guard. Others were kind of predictable, but nothing can be perfect. And if we are talking about perfect, I think it would have been better if this book were released as two. It would have given time to process the end of part one and keep everyone guessing what happens next (the book still leaves us with questions to be answered so don’t worry). The impact would have been bigger, because I for one was pretty surprised by the outcome. But by the time you finish the book so much things happens that that event just doesn’t feel so significant anymore. Although it is.
As for the characters, by the end I had the feeling that they were too predictable, some bigger changes in their personality would have done some good to them. Maybe Adelko, Vaskrian, Anupe, Wolmar and Hettie were able to surprise me with their actions and thoughts (not talking about those side characters who turned out to be someone else they were supposed to be). Wolmar, although not exactly a likeable character turned out to be the most interesting one. Almost a year later and I still remember how he struggled and tried to overcome his situation at hand, dealing with a powerful and quite persuasive person. This storyline was by far my favorite.
In Warlock’s Sun Rising Damien turns the action and the magic up a notch. We get everything from battle scenes through demon wakening rituals to political scheming. If you don’t find something you love in fantasy in this book, then you didn’t look hard enough. Warlock’s Sun Rising offers a wide selection of characters you can love or hate, from every cast be it noble or peasant, rich or poor, male or female. And that diversity which makes it so damn interesting and enjoyable. Plus the fact that it can leave your mouth hanging open with a twist you never saw coming. If you liked Devil’s Night Dawning, I would strongly recommend checking out the sequel, because it raised the bar and is even better than the first book!
The full review is available on my blog: starlitbook.com/2018/07/12/warlocks-s...
Warlock’s Sun Rising picks the story up right where it was dropped in Devil’s Night Dawning. Horskram, Adelko and their companions are set out to find Andragorix and put an end to the strange happenings, while retrieving the missing stone pieces. All the while Abrexta gains even more power Braxus’ homeland and Adhelina fights against her faith with Hettie on her side. We also get a new set of POV characters besides the ones we already know: Wolmar prince of Northalde, whose mission is to caution the king of Pangonia, and the leaders of the True Temple and the Argolians of the dangers awaiting for the world. Guldebrand, who wants to unite the tribes and lands of the icy North with the help of Magnhilda. Or Hjala, princess of Northalde trying to use her influence to have her way in the current political turmoil.
Damien, as you can tell, doesn’t shy away from juggling with several POVs, keeping them all in line. Which is not an easy task. I honestly don’t know how he does it, but I think in this book even more things are happening than in the first book, so you really have to keep your eyes open if you want to follow what’s happening. One of the criticism about Devil’s Night Dawning was the pacing. With all the character and story building in place, the pace sometimes dragged and made reading it a rather tedious task. Thankfully, Warlock’s Sun Rising has no such problem whatsoever. You’d think, considering the length of the book you are bound to be bored every once in a while. But every time you think you are about to reach that point, a turn of events gets you off guard and keeps you on your toes and engaged. You might even find myself reading on despite other circumstances – I, for instance had a minor eye surgery at the time I was reading it, and was under healing, but even that couldn’t keep me away from this book. Besides, there is something in Damien’s prose that just hugs you gently like your favorite blanket and leads you gently on your path.
Having more story lines to follow definitely does some good to this book, it saves it being monotone and gives a glimpse at what happens in the other parts of the world. I like how Adelko grows as a character and questions everything, even his own religious order. The world building is still going strong, we get to know more about the world as Horskram, Adelko and the others wander from place to place. We get some magic, political games, fighting, adventure, mystery and of course romance too. Not too much, thankfully, though it was irritating how Torgun and Braxus behaved from the moment they laid eyes on Adhelina. Like teenage boys during puberty. Seriously. And they are supposed to be grown men, fighting monsters and all! Just Adhelina was more irritating, acting like she lived in a romantic fairy tale. Come on girl, get yourself together! But then, it’s well-known I’m not exactly a fan of romance, however, we have to give credit where it’s due: probably this is how romantic relationships, and love triangles worked in the medieval age. On which the whole setting is built.
Although we get to visit similar places, they can be distinguished from each other. The most memorable however, is the Earth Witch’s lair, where, once again, we meet a little furry fellow.
“‘Led by a knight-loving squirrel into the heart of a witch’s lair,’ said Braxus. ‘I’m not sure even I have the craft to put that into song.'”
Now, I’m not easily surprised, but some turn of events caught me off guard. Others were kind of predictable, but nothing can be perfect. And if we are talking about perfect, I think it would have been better if this book were released as two. It would have given time to process the end of part one and keep everyone guessing what happens next (the book still leaves us with questions to be answered so don’t worry). The impact would have been bigger, because I for one was pretty surprised by the outcome. But by the time you finish the book so much things happens that that event just doesn’t feel so significant anymore. Although it is.
As for the characters, by the end I had the feeling that they were too predictable, some bigger changes in their personality would have done some good to them. Maybe Adelko, Vaskrian, Anupe, Wolmar and Hettie were able to surprise me with their actions and thoughts (not talking about those side characters who turned out to be someone else they were supposed to be). Wolmar, although not exactly a likeable character turned out to be the most interesting one. Almost a year later and I still remember how he struggled and tried to overcome his situation at hand, dealing with a powerful and quite persuasive person. This storyline was by far my favorite.
In Warlock’s Sun Rising Damien turns the action and the magic up a notch. We get everything from battle scenes through demon wakening rituals to political scheming. If you don’t find something you love in fantasy in this book, then you didn’t look hard enough. Warlock’s Sun Rising offers a wide selection of characters you can love or hate, from every cast be it noble or peasant, rich or poor, male or female. And that diversity which makes it so damn interesting and enjoyable. Plus the fact that it can leave your mouth hanging open with a twist you never saw coming. If you liked Devil’s Night Dawning, I would strongly recommend checking out the sequel, because it raised the bar and is even better than the first book!
June 20, 2018
I find it hard to believe but this book was even better than the first one. I cannot wait for this series to continue. The author is a very talented individual. I still like the mixture of horror and fantasy. He also threw in some twists that I did not see coming at all. Hopefully this series has many more books in it to enjoy. Great job Damien Black. Keep it up sir.
September 14, 2017
I received this as an ARC, and the Unseen One has demanded a review or my soul will spend eternity as a demon's plaything in Gehenna.
I loved Devil's Night Dawning, and I was excited to get a chance to see where the second part of the trilogy would take us. This book, like the first, is lengthy, but there is no drop in pace. Almost every word pushes the plot forward, as it should as the scope of the trilogy is vast.
The main story is Adelko the novice and his teacher Horskram. Adelko comes on in leaps and bounds as he learns under the tutelage of his mentor, to the effect that that Horskram struggles to win debates he ruled in book one, and we find out more about the mysterious monk. There are some surprises for the other major characters too (and a couple of new ones), and wooden characters are hard to find.
Here are two things that I have discovered from my reading of Warlock's Sun Rising:
1. The Author (Damien Black) is quite the lexicographer. If you have to look that up, you may want to keep a dictionary to hand when reading his novels.
2. He is the master of the feint. He sets you up with some haymaker "ha, I knew that was going to happen" moments, then kicks you in the owey bits instead with some surprising twists.
The author has set the scene nicely for book three, and I patiently wait for it's arrival.
I loved Devil's Night Dawning, and I was excited to get a chance to see where the second part of the trilogy would take us. This book, like the first, is lengthy, but there is no drop in pace. Almost every word pushes the plot forward, as it should as the scope of the trilogy is vast.
The main story is Adelko the novice and his teacher Horskram. Adelko comes on in leaps and bounds as he learns under the tutelage of his mentor, to the effect that that Horskram struggles to win debates he ruled in book one, and we find out more about the mysterious monk. There are some surprises for the other major characters too (and a couple of new ones), and wooden characters are hard to find.
Here are two things that I have discovered from my reading of Warlock's Sun Rising:
1. The Author (Damien Black) is quite the lexicographer. If you have to look that up, you may want to keep a dictionary to hand when reading his novels.
2. He is the master of the feint. He sets you up with some haymaker "ha, I knew that was going to happen" moments, then kicks you in the owey bits instead with some surprising twists.
The author has set the scene nicely for book three, and I patiently wait for it's arrival.
January 30, 2018
Actual Rating 4,5 Stars
September 5, 2017
A gripping tale of two men - one old and the other young, set out on a path of saving their known world from the greatest evil ever imagined.
Having read Damien's first book, I was keen to get my hands on the second for the world that he has created was full of possibilities, and the two main protagonists adventure far from complete. So when I had the opportunity to read it early I jumped at it.
And it doesn't disappoint. The story is as exciting as the first one, the twist as imaginative as before, and the new world is expanding in front of our eyes including some new characters and monsters. I found that the second book was actually a quicker read than the first because it seems the author is really settling into his style of writing. He still uses unusual words which I enjoy but they don't distract from the storytelling.
If you haven't read the first one yet, start today, because if the second books is anything to go by, the third one will be even better.
Having read Damien's first book, I was keen to get my hands on the second for the world that he has created was full of possibilities, and the two main protagonists adventure far from complete. So when I had the opportunity to read it early I jumped at it.
And it doesn't disappoint. The story is as exciting as the first one, the twist as imaginative as before, and the new world is expanding in front of our eyes including some new characters and monsters. I found that the second book was actually a quicker read than the first because it seems the author is really settling into his style of writing. He still uses unusual words which I enjoy but they don't distract from the storytelling.
If you haven't read the first one yet, start today, because if the second books is anything to go by, the third one will be even better.
January 20, 2019
As a sequel to Devil's Night Dawning, Warlock's Sun Rising (the second in the Broken Stone Chronicle series) did not disappoint. In fact, I believe this book surpassed the first in respects to world-building and plotting and overall quality of narrative and prose. I was also overjoyed to find the dark (and sometimes grim) fantasy interlaced with the dark humour and occasional modern wink that was so well done in the first novel. This is a long, at times convoluted and complex read but well worth persevering with. At about a third of the way in I wondered if the book was too long. By two-thirds I wondered if it was going to be too short. By the thrilling end I found myself double-checking when we should expect the third instalment. A worthy addition to my favourites shelf and I highly recommend it!
January 8, 2018
Continuing straight from the 1st book of the Broken Stone Chronicle 'Devils Night Dawning' the pace is fired up & i am back in the world of Knights, Monsters, Witches & Warlocks. Horskram & Adelko back on their quest to eliminate the dreaded Andragorix & his minions of evil whilst trying to bring peace to a world on the brink of destruction. Still reading this book as its a monster but will finalise the review as soon as i can. I cannot recommend the 1st book enough & so far this one is even better.
September 9, 2017
"Warlock's Sun Rising" is the new action packed adventure novel by Damien Black, the 2nd installment in the Broken Stone Chronicles. From the first chapter to the end, this book is truly addictive, with twists and turns at every corner. With sorcerers, witches and warlocks summoning dark magic and strong rulers and knights to do their bidding, how long will the world hold out, when evil is coming from all directions. An epic masterpiece, one year in the making, and a must read for all lovers of the series and the dark fantasy genre.
A world on the brink of destruction, orchestrated by an unknown evil, with more powerful magic than any sorcerer in over 2000 years. In pursuit of world domination, the sorcerer is on reuniting the most powerful magic relic, the Headstone. Will the once harmonious and peaceful lands, now on the brink of war on all fronts, be able to survive the unrelenting devastation or will life as they know it be forever eradicated by the darkness? However, evil has a formidable foe, from the Angolian order, Horksham and his apprentice Adelko, alike in the first series, continue their mission to find out who is stealing the Headstones, and opening up the barrier to the world of the undead. In their next expedition, backed with a small army of fierce knights the Woodfolk and even a witch, they journey to take on the a long standing powerful warlock. While the team battle in the forests, many other realms of the Free Kingdom are being savaged by civil war, with power struggles between once harmonious neighbors are affront. Lead by a sea warlock in the Frozen principalities, and an enchanting witch in part of the northern principality, the nature of war has changed. With armies being lead by dark magic, will any part of the kingdom be safe against the new evil? And will our heroes be able to save the realm from the Headstone being fully united, and a dark sorcerer to rule the world with their army of magic and the undead?
"The Warlock's Sun Rising" continues to portray many wonderful characters that were met in the 1st installment. Damien Black's attention to detail and informative story telling, helps build familiarity with characters. With the many twists in the plot and story changes, characters continue to grow and develop, invoking an interest in the outcomes of characters against the evil forces. The hardest part will be deciding among the many entertaining characters, who is the readers favorites?
With a plot that hooks from the start, "The Warlock's Sun Rising" is an entertaining and fun page-turner. The monumental length to this book allows the set up of the Free Kingdoms and the many twists in the plot to be detailed and powerfully portrayed. With haunting scenes of war, the romance of love, inspiration from standout heroes and adventure throughout, this book easily ranks as a 5-star read.
For readers new to the "Broken Stone Chronicle" series, I would recommend reading "Devil's Night Dawning" first. Readers will be engrossed with this all absorbing 2nd installment to the series. Damien Black is by far the best author in the dark fantasy genre and has proven this with his newest book "Warlock's Sun Rising". I look forward to what action and adventures are waiting in the next installment, and I hope it's the first of more to come.
I received this book prior to release and have submitted a voluntary review.
A world on the brink of destruction, orchestrated by an unknown evil, with more powerful magic than any sorcerer in over 2000 years. In pursuit of world domination, the sorcerer is on reuniting the most powerful magic relic, the Headstone. Will the once harmonious and peaceful lands, now on the brink of war on all fronts, be able to survive the unrelenting devastation or will life as they know it be forever eradicated by the darkness? However, evil has a formidable foe, from the Angolian order, Horksham and his apprentice Adelko, alike in the first series, continue their mission to find out who is stealing the Headstones, and opening up the barrier to the world of the undead. In their next expedition, backed with a small army of fierce knights the Woodfolk and even a witch, they journey to take on the a long standing powerful warlock. While the team battle in the forests, many other realms of the Free Kingdom are being savaged by civil war, with power struggles between once harmonious neighbors are affront. Lead by a sea warlock in the Frozen principalities, and an enchanting witch in part of the northern principality, the nature of war has changed. With armies being lead by dark magic, will any part of the kingdom be safe against the new evil? And will our heroes be able to save the realm from the Headstone being fully united, and a dark sorcerer to rule the world with their army of magic and the undead?
"The Warlock's Sun Rising" continues to portray many wonderful characters that were met in the 1st installment. Damien Black's attention to detail and informative story telling, helps build familiarity with characters. With the many twists in the plot and story changes, characters continue to grow and develop, invoking an interest in the outcomes of characters against the evil forces. The hardest part will be deciding among the many entertaining characters, who is the readers favorites?
With a plot that hooks from the start, "The Warlock's Sun Rising" is an entertaining and fun page-turner. The monumental length to this book allows the set up of the Free Kingdoms and the many twists in the plot to be detailed and powerfully portrayed. With haunting scenes of war, the romance of love, inspiration from standout heroes and adventure throughout, this book easily ranks as a 5-star read.
For readers new to the "Broken Stone Chronicle" series, I would recommend reading "Devil's Night Dawning" first. Readers will be engrossed with this all absorbing 2nd installment to the series. Damien Black is by far the best author in the dark fantasy genre and has proven this with his newest book "Warlock's Sun Rising". I look forward to what action and adventures are waiting in the next installment, and I hope it's the first of more to come.
I received this book prior to release and have submitted a voluntary review.
February 5, 2018
Warlock's Sun Rising continues right where Devil's Night Dawning ended. Horskram and Adelko are about to embark on a dangerous journey to defeat Andragorix, a powerful sorcerer that has stolen a relique that can destroy the world.
New characters are introduced, displaying the political struggle across the realms. This new characters give a darker turn to the story. Their ambition leads them to do horrible things.
There was a lot of action, some epic battles against mighty foes. The monks' companions had to put everything in line to survive.
I liked the plot twists, and the action. Damien Black has an incredibly detailed style. It makes you feel you were there, fighting demons and killing monsters.
It was dark, very dark. A bit too dark for my taste. Which prooves I'm more of a paranormal/fantasy type of reader.
I'm sure Grimdark fans would love the work of Damien Black. Magick, knights, epic battles, politics, and flawless worldbuilding.
New characters are introduced, displaying the political struggle across the realms. This new characters give a darker turn to the story. Their ambition leads them to do horrible things.
There was a lot of action, some epic battles against mighty foes. The monks' companions had to put everything in line to survive.
I liked the plot twists, and the action. Damien Black has an incredibly detailed style. It makes you feel you were there, fighting demons and killing monsters.
It was dark, very dark. A bit too dark for my taste. Which prooves I'm more of a paranormal/fantasy type of reader.
I'm sure Grimdark fans would love the work of Damien Black. Magick, knights, epic battles, politics, and flawless worldbuilding.
August 13, 2020
Near perfect fantasy novel.
Great dialogue (captured variation in characters in terms of wit, erudition, beliefs, intelligence and reasoning) always important for building a believable world.
Great dialogue (captured variation in characters in terms of wit, erudition, beliefs, intelligence and reasoning) always important for building a believable world.
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