The Whispering Monks have foretold change to the world, and it's fast approaching. They also speak of the mortals who'll be involved.
Hereward, a lord knight who only worships the steel at his side, as the mad magician Ealdræd has taken away everyone he had ever loved. Wymond, an oblate determined to find his true self, even if it means turning away from everything he has ever known. Beornræd, a powerful magician who fears to love again after the cruelties of his past. Kieron, a stable hand with dragon blood flowing through his veins and is the rightful heir to a realm of unimaginable beauty.
All four will travel their own paths, to destroy their pasts and rebuild their future, as they thwart the evil plans of Ealdræd and his conduit, the immortal Abbot Hosho.
The whisperings continue through epic battles, both on the ground and in the sky.
The whisperings shall continue beyond the aftermath.
Time of death: 25%. Easily the worst book I’ve read in years. I just cannot subject myself to this utter nonsense any longer. The plot is irrelevant because the writing is so bad. This book is like the equivalent of porn dialogue. Even when I tried to think of it as a work of satire, I still couldn’t read it. Everything is just obnoxiously over the top, the characters are shallow and absurd. No one behaves in a recognizably human way. Please save yourself the trouble and give this one a wide berth.
This is an unapologetically queer fantasy with steamy scenes, lots of fun, swearing, and an adventure which keeps offering surprises. Hereward is a brash knight, but he has a heart of gold, and will go to the extremes for the men he loves. There are some heavily emotional scenes in this book, and a great depiction of how deeply characters love each other. As the story takes dips and turns, so is the reader jostled around, and sometimes left with a rushing heart, heading towards an ending which was a surprise. This is not a book written following a recipe, but a unique tale of love, courage, and bravery. I am awaiting Book 2.
What a fun, sexy fantasy adventure! As the book opens, we meet Hereward, a lord and knight who has sworn vengeance on the evil Ealdræd. Ealdræd is a dastardly villain who strikes out again at Hereward very early in the book - and I was hooked. As the tale progresses, we also meet Wymond, Beornræd, and Kieron - other main characters who have their own battles to fight. Blacke does a great job of weaving the stories of all four characters together. The battle scenes are epic and the sex scenes are super steamy; the prose did get hyperbolic in places, however. Overall, this is a fantastic tale and I'm looking forward to reading more from the author!
Wonderfully written and very descriptive, Lord Hereward is quite the brash and foul mouthed hero and that makes him even more appealing to me he won't mince words and will definitely stab you if you annoy him. Overall it makes you want more !!!
The first thing that caught my interest is the world setting, uncommon and surprising. Creatures I haven't heard of, alongside dragons (yes, you read correctly, DRAGONS!), inhabit these amazing lands. The descriptions are beautiful and bring you inside the scenes, especially the war ones.
The cast is unique in its diversity. The author's care for the LGBTQ+ community emerges between the lines. You won't be disappointed.
The narrator's voice is brazen and engaging. I'm used to more detached ones, but Kon Blacke's style captured my attention immediately. Loved it!
Although Hereward is the main protagonist, and I adore him, I have a deeper connection with his brother Beornræd. He's deeply troubled because of his past mistakes, and his journey is touching. Can't wait to read the sequel.
I'd tell you more about the other characters, but I don't want to ruin your experience with spoilers. You must read this book!
Could not get past chapter 1. Some of the descriptive sentences about to get characters were totally out of what with their character ( for instance when Camdyn is described as an angel from heaven or when Hereward sheds "great tears".It just doesn't fit. Not for me but I'm sure a lot of people will enjoy it.