Bloodstone

Jon Shannow #3

by David Gemmell

The tyrannical rule of the Deacon and his Jerusalem Riders has unleashed upon the world a sea of bigotry and hatred, where Unbelievers and Mutants are massacred in the name of God and Peace. And the long-vanished Jerusalem Man is now considered a saint of the new order. To speak ill of his memory is heresy.But when the church in Pilgrim's Valley is burnt to the ground, its congregation slaughtered, a rider appears and hunts down the killers. And word spreads - The Jerusalem Man is back!Hunted and alone, Jon Shannow must battle the forces of the Deacon - and face a terrible enemy from another universe; a dark god who feeds on the souls of worlds.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Post Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Heroic Fantasy, Westerns, Epic Fantasy

400 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

David Andrew Gemmell was a bestselling British author of heroic fantasy. A former journalist and newspaper editor, Gemmell had his first work of fiction published in 1984. He went on to write over thirty novels. Best known for his debut, Legend, Gemmell's works display violence, yet also explores themes in honour, loyalty and redemption. With over one million copies sold, his work continues to sell worldwide.

Reviews

[M.H Ansari · Rating 5 out of 5]

کتاب آخر برای من یکم جذابیتش کمتر از دوتای قبلی بود🙄

شیفت بین دنیا ها و مکان ها توی این کتاب زیاد تر بود.

از پایانش راضیم ☺

[هادی امینی · Rating 2 out of 5]

نمیتونم بگم خوشم اومد. ولی از اونجایی که یک دفعه رفته بودم سراغ قسمت سوم، شاید اشتباه خودم بوده. شاید بهتر بود اول قسمت اول رو می‌خوندم. ولی خوب کتاب به دستم رسیده بود. حالا تصمیم دارم قسمت اولش هم بخونم، ببینم مشکل کجاست.
ولی در کل از ترکیب علم و جادو خوشم نیومد. جایی که علم باشه، جادو تعریف پیدا نمیکنه.
ضمناً ایده سفر در زمان و ملاقات با خود، توی کتاب‌های زیادی اومده. حس میکنم یک کتاب هم از آسیموف با این ایده خوندم. چیز تکراری‌ای بود.
ترجمه کتاب هم خوب بود، ولی غلط تایپی تا دلتون بخواد!

[Seyed-Sajad Hamedheydari · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best possible ending a story could have...

[نیما اکبرخانی · Rating 5 out of 5]

مجموعه به طرزی واقعا فوق العاده به پایان رسید.
اصلا دلم نمی خواست مرد اورشلیمی یا مرد آخر الزمانی دست آخر زن وبچه دار شود و برود پی ادامه زندگی اش و به همان نسبت نیز دوست نداشتم نهایتا در نبردی حماسی با روایتی چنین و چنان کشته شود. واقعا جان شانو قهرمان منحصر بفردی بود که شایسته ی یک پایان بندی خاص خودش نیز بود.
کتاب سوم و آخر مجموعه گاهی تنه به ادبیات علمی تخیلی هم می زند و مسائلی را شرح و بسط می دهد که تا به حال در فانتزی ها ندیده بودم. برایم جالب بود. یک جورهایی این کتاب فانتزی-علمی-تخیلی است و باز هم در نوع خودش منحصر به فرد است.
خیلی دلم می خواهد بنشینم و اینجا حسابی روده درازی کنم در باره ی شخصیت های داستان و پیچش هایش ولی کلا با لو دادن مخالفم و پا روی نفس خودم می گذارم بلکه ناله و نفرین شما هم پشت سرم نباشد.
مرد اورشلیمی نهایتا در داستانی بسیار پیچیده به سر انجام خود خواهد رسید.
پی نوشت: این حجم از غلط تایپی در انتشارات کتابسرای تندیس اصلا خوب نیست ، محض رضای خدا هم که شده، کار که تمام می شود یک بار بدهید یکی آن را بخواند.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bloodstone is a very good ending for the saga of Jon Shannow. "I am Jon Shannow and I never lie."

Shannow settled down at the end of The Last Guardian. This story starts with him wounded, on the run, and stricken with partial amnesia. The villain of the story, at least in the beginning, is a mysterious religious leader called The Deacon. Shannow's quest takes him across dimensions and ties into the ending of The Last Guardian nicely. Amaziga and Sam Archer make appearances, as do Clem Steiner, Beth McAdam, Daniel Cade, and other characters from the previous two books.

The three Jon Shannow books are well worth a read, especially if you like your fantasy with a bit of western flavor, ala The Dark Tower.

[R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been about ten years since I read this series but it was amazing. When I can read a book a decade ago and several hundred books and a few thousand beers ago and still recall what it was even about it goes without saying that it was good, then again, I don't think that David Gemmell ever wrote anything in his life that would qualify as "bad".

If you like anything else by Gemmell you'll like this, if you like violence, epic fantasy, dark and angry good guys, time travel, and a mix of high tech and low tech in your stories then you'll love this.

[Callum Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

A genuinely great end to what has been a really gripping trilogy! Each of the books has remained concise in the storytelling, and this final installment really didn't mess around either. Shannow takes on a whole new role and perspective in this book in a twist that I genuinely didn't see coming, although I probably should have in hindsight. The ending felt a little abrupt for me, but thinking about it more I think it was the only way it could have gone, and brought the story to a close in a way that in very inkeeping with the story.

[Jennifer Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This trilogy is fantastic in its scope & imagination. I absolutely love how everything connects; sometimes in surprising/unforeseen ways. The time travel aspect of the plot is mind-bendingly awesome. The fact that characters can cross paths with their future or past selves without realizing it at the time - and that Gemmell is able to disguise this fact from even the readers until a later time when he chooses to reveal it - is amazing. I love it when an author can keep ahead of me plot-wise; not being able to guess where the storyline is heading beforehand.
Having said that....what the hell?! I do love how everything ties in and leads to the eventual destruction of the “big bad”, but.....man, I was hoping for a bit of a happy ending for poor Jon Shannow. He’s such a fantastic character, and endured so much unwarranted hate/abuse from those around him. He deserved better at the end I think.

[Pooneh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's 4.5.
It was a good journey.

[Druss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Previously I rated this as a 3. The first reread for many years. I’ve changed my mind, a fitting end to the Shannon saga.

2015 reread. Excellent audiobook

[Kostas · Rating 5 out of 5]

For twenty years since the Sword of God was sent through the Gateways of Time, the Deacon – making his purpose to cleanse the world of evil – has ruled in the new order of righteousness; but Jon Shannow, having turned his back to his old ways and become a preacher, had made himself a better life until they burnt down his church, slaughtered everyone in it, and left him with one choice: to hunt the perpetrators and kill them.
Yet as Shannow faces his dark past while his name – revered now as a saint – is spread amongst the people, a youngster dreaming to become a Crusader finds himself questioning his very beliefs and a black woman looks for a way to bring back her long-dead husband, a great evil from another world is waiting to pass through the Gateways with a single mind to bring the end of everything...

Bloodstone is the third and final book in the Jon Shannow series. The book brings to conclusion the adventures of the titular hero as Gemmell – looking once more for the greatness in his characters: courage, love, compassion and redemption – takes us for one last ride in a world ruled by a new order, and across a multiverse, through space and time, past and future, and culminating the series with an epic finale.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the end of this book so much; there's something so powerful about the conclusion to this trilogy. The latter half of this book reminds me of a final battle at the end of an apocalypse, where it's likely no one will survive - and I loved it. Great end to a really good series. I'm really glad I re-read these!

[яσвεят · Rating 3 out of 5]

و اما جلد سوم جان شانو ، به نظرم شروع خطی و یکنواخت داشت مسئله بعدی به نظرم اینبار گمل می خواست حسابی محکم کاری کنه که مخاطب هوس جلد بعدی و چهارم رو نکنه
اواسط داستان ثبات بیشتری پیدا کرد
و خب اواخر می‌دونستی که لحظات خداحافظی با جان شانو فرا رسیده
به هر حال من دوست داشتم با اینکه امتیاز پایینی گرفته

[Elsa Diedericks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sure do love the Christian. John Shannow is one of the greats.

[Soursock · Rating 4 out of 5]

good story with a really interesting ending. the way things wound back on themselves was really nice

[Eric Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5.0/5.0

[T.L. Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have just finished the final chapter in David Gemmell's Jon Shannow trilogy, and what a ride it was. I couldn't imagine a more satisfying conclusion to this thrilling series. Any fan of westerns, fantasy, post-apocalypse, or suspenseful action will love this series about a post-apocalyptic gunslinger that is known as the Jerusalem Man for his early quest for the lost fabled city.

This book has everything great about the other two volumes and more. It is the only book in the series that could not be read alone as it is dependent on so much of what happens in both of the previous books.

Here are some highlights about this particular novel:

1. This book has some very frightening moments with mutated, man-eating "wolvers" and the return of the deadly hellborn armies. This horror factor just capitalizes the heroic nature of those who survive and stand strong against the evil forces of the bloodstone.

2. All of the Jon Shannow books are philosophical. This one is doubly so, mixed with heaps of pathos and a more than a touch of melancholy, this book proves to be as thoughtful as it is exciting: a nice balance.

3. The character of Jon Shannow is shown as his most complex (and, thus, most human). His sacrifices are poignant.

4. Characters that were introduced in all three of the volumes really come to life here. Gemmell devoted a lot of pages for their development and personal tests and tragedies. When everything comes together for a real standoff with the surviving characters the reader is absolutely invested.

5. The Bloodstone is a villain that is truly fantastic and horrific. Gemmell has given us a devil that is believable and horrific in his conception.

Mr. Gemmell, like the Jon Shannow has moved on. I know I will not get the chance to read about Jon Shannow again. Except, you can bet that I won't be forgetting about his excellent adventures. In any case, if I do, I will be reading these novels again, I am sure. I can't recommend these books more to the true fantasy lover.

[Rumfuddle · Rating 4 out of 5]

What hit me most about this series was the similarities between Gemmells Jon Shannow and Kings Roland of Gilead.

1. They are both Gunslingers in post apocalyptic worlds searching for their own holy grail (The Dark Tower for Roland and Jerusalem for Shannow.

2. In their journey they cross between different worlds/times/dimensions battling dark forces.

3. They both fight against supernatural forces and beast/man hybrids.

4. They are both very similar in height and looks, they are also very similar in personality.

Now I am not inferring any sort of plagiarism from either author I'm just noting the convergence of ideas.

All well and good you ask, but who would win in a fight?

Well it would be no contest I'm afraid, whilst Roland was Hailing and trying to organise a palaver, Shannow would just have shot him dead without a second thought. Though The Darktower series is undoubtedly the better (and MUCH longer) series, Jon Shannow is by far the deadlier gunslinger. No messing around with exposition or second chances happen here, and why face a man down in a 'fair fight' when you can sneak up on them and shoot them when they are asleep because dead is dead.

In fact were Shannow transferred into Kings world, I doubt it would have got to book 3 before the Tower was found, the beams were restored and a lot more baddies were dead.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final - and, arguably - best of David Gemmell's Jon Shannow trilogy (after both Wolf in Shadow and The Last Guardian), set 20 years after the events of the previous one, and in which Shannow himself (otherwise known as the brigand slayer 'The Jerusalem Man') has become a figure of legend.

With a plethora of returning characters - most noticeably Beth McAdam, Clem Stenier and Amizaga Archer - alongside several compelling new additions, and with a 'big bad' that seems nigh-on invulnerable (until the glorious I-didn't-see-that-coming-ending), this is a fitting send-off for the tortured character.

[Zenodotus · Rating 4 out of 5]

An ageing Clint Eastwood as The Man With No Name takes on an army of werewolves and a great big soul-devouring demon in a post-apocalyptic world. A thoroughly enjoyable romp, enlivened by an abundance of likeable characters, and a bewildering series of time-travel-driven plot-twists, the last of which is truly glorious.

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This exciting heroic fantasy novel is the 3rd and final volume of the "Jon Shannow" trilogy, from the late great David Gemmell.

This story is originally from 1994, but it still reads as fresh today as then, and once more it contains some prophetic elements and conflicting human behaviour that are still happening on this planet until today.

Storytelling is wonderful, the tale is superbly structured and worked out, and all figures are really human and very lifelike.

This heroic fantasy has once again influences from a western, combined with touches of gospel, history, science fiction and paranormal, and all these factors make this this book such a great joy to read.

We follow again the exploits of Jon Shannow, aka the Jerusalem Man, aka Jake, aka the Deacon, and his quest to save the world and its people from a disastrous kind of monster.

Opposing Jon Shannow and his friends, is a figure named Sarento, aka the Bloodstone, who's feeding himself with the lifeblood of innocent people, so he can live and act like as a kind of God.

What is to follow is a fast-paced and action-packed heroic fantasy, where life and death go hand in hand, but also the love to make this world a better place to live in, and all this is brought to us by the author in a mix with heart-breaking and glorious actions, and that will end this Bloodstone with a final big bang.

Highly recommended, for this is a wonderful ending of this great trilogy, and that's why I like to call this last episode: "A Captivating Final Bloodstone"!

[Mark Redman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Bloodstone by David Gemmell

David Gemmell’s Bloodstone is the third and final installment in the Jon Shannow series, as well as part of the Stones of Power saga. This gripping tale blends Gemmell’s signature heroic fantasy with themes of redemption, faith, and the complexity of human morality. The story follows Jon Shannow, the “Jerusalem Man,” a brooding, gun-toting wanderer navigating a post-apocalyptic world. Shannow’s relentless quest for truth and justice is as compelling as it is tragic, cementing him as one of Gemmell’s most iconic protagonists.

The fast-paced action is complemented by Gemmell’s exploration of philosophical questions—such as the nature of good and evil and the cost of vengeance—without ever slowing the narrative. The parallels with Robert E. Howard’s Solomon Kane are unmistakable, both in tone and in Shannow’s blend of spirituality and violence.

The interplay between Shannow’s inner struggles and his brutal reality creates a thought-provoking read. Gemmell’s ability to craft morally complex heroes, vivid worlds, and intense combat sequences shines throughout. While newcomers may feel the need for more backstory, Bloodstone stands strong as a darkly poetic read.

Revisiting this book after 30 years, I found it just as satisfying and powerful as ever. Gemmell’s storytelling remains timeless, and Bloodstone still holds its place as a standout in fantasy character, at least for me.

[Barry Mulvany · Rating 4 out of 5]

After years of living a life of peace, the Jerusalem Man is back after a terrible tragedy befalls him. The world is very different with a civilisation of a sort emerging under the religious leadership of the Deacon. However corruption is rife and there is a much bigger threat soon to emerge.

Nothing too different here from the first two, though the symmetry in how everything links is very satisfying. There's a bit of a cop out at the start with how we get the 'Jerusalem Man' back again but that's fairly minor. I still really dislike Amaziga, the double standards she shows really annoy me, and I'd argue she's worse here. It was good to have Beth still play a part and I enjoyed how things ended up between her and Jon, seemed very realistic.

The writing again is terse but well formed and the author can still create a memorable character with a sentence or two. The world is still fascinating and is a great mix of western and the magical. Things do get a bit over the top towards the end but again I didn't mind it. This is a really great trilogy, nice and fast paced but with still enough time to get to know characters and the world and I think it holds up well considering that this book itself is over thirty years old.

Please see this and other reviews at https://barrysbloodybooks.home.blog/

[Gilles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jon Shannow, tome 3

Quelques rescapés du grand cataclysme sont en train de transformer le monde avec leurs connaissances et la religion. Mais, comme souvent, le mieux est l'ennemi du bien. Certains se servent de la religion pour imposer leurs idées et augmenter leurs pouvoirs. Mais lorsqu'on l'attaque, Jon Shannow réagit, et malheur à ceux qui sont sur son chemin

Un récit après catastrophe donc, avec un peu plus de technologie, de la magie, des hommes-bêtes, des ponts temporels et même des mondes parallèles (le multivers).

Le roman se lit bien, mais avec quelques longueurs. Mais le contexte m'a souvent fait décrocher. Des mondes parallèles avec une réalité alternative, des portails qui permettent de voyager dans le temps, des bêtes monstrueuses, des pierres magiques avec des pouvoirs tout simplement incroyables et une fin organisée avec le gars des vues. De plus, le focus sur la religion devient lassant et l'histoire d'amour par delà les mondes n'est pas venu me toucher. Et le méchant de l'histoire est trop gros pour être crédible.
Par contre, j'ai encore eu du plaisir à suivre Jon Shannow avec sa volonté de fer et sa passion de la justice, si on veut.

J'ai aimé mais j'ai eu de la misère avec le contexte. Le mélange avec la science-fiction n'a pas vraiment fonctionné, pour moi.

[Stephen Cronin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the three books in a row and then rated the first one here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and the second one here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Now I have nothing left to say for the third book! Well besides repeating how much I love David Gemmell and how groundbreaking he was back in the 80s/90s.

I'll just say that I loved this book both for it's fantastic anti-hero and the epic moments of power it delivers. And the struggles of the character and changes in their views over a long period of time are fascinating to examine.

On top of all that, I just thoroughly love the twist delivered in this book. That sort of twist is common now in books, tv and movies etc, but at the time it was something I'd never seen done and it blew my mind. It was groundbreaking, at least for me.

Anyway, I loved this series (have read it at least 5 times), I loved this particular book and I loved the character.

[Ricky Mikeabono · Rating 3 out of 5]

It felt like the first two novels kind of closed out the story, but this final novel in the trilogy actually does complete it. Who doesn't love a comeback, and Jon is back after 20+ years of preaching nonviolence. The whole amnesia plot device is kind of lame, and I felt it was unnecessary. This book really continues the theme of religion and vigilante justice. By no means is it a great work of philosophy, but does illustrate some basic good vs evil paradoxes. The ending of this story (and the trilogy) did feel better thought out than the previous ones. The ending was a surprise, and a good one in my opinion. Of course the use of the magic stones throughout this book (and the series) were just too arbitrary for me.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stones of Power Cycle series concludes with Bloodstone, set on a futuristic post-apocalyptic world that flits the reader back and forth between different times past, present and future.
Gemmel does not disappoint in his classic emphasis on action and confrontation as the pages turn with a skeleton of good people attempting to reform and build up society in the midst of destructive emptiness and hosts of bad guys.
I must say the shifting back and forth between various dimensions of time can leave the reader a bit confused but the gist of the story is never lost as the hero battles for the sake of humanity while forming and leaving some meaningful relationships along the way.

[Amzon_Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I Wandered…

.. in the wastelands, I spoke, to my younger self and I saw what I had become in my dotage, yet I did not know it was me. I looked for Jerusalem, the Temple Mount was glittering in the sun, ‘twas beauty.

And, in the days after end of days, a new beginning did arrive. Yet, the loop of time in parallel was extant. Those we’d vanquished we had to defeat once more. Greed was the water feeding the land, perpetual.

If you have not read these books, you have a joyous time ahead for they are the absolute gold of the treasure pile of words, they await you, yes.
The Jon Shannow books are very special indeed, go read them.

[Paul Allard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Presumably the last of the Jon Shannow novels, this book includes a fast-moving plot, plenty of characters (sometimes hard to remember who is who) and a lot of action, including a lot of death, shooting and injuries as well as a healthy mix of the supernatural and a wee bit of science-fiction. Probably only worth reading if you've read some of the previous David Gemmell Shannow novels. Quite a good read and preferable to his barbarian novels which get a bit samey after a while.

[Fredrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great ending to a fantastic series! Easily one of my favourite series in a long, long time.
I'd say the Jon Shannow books are as equally good as Stephen King's The Dark Tower, even though it's a lot shorter.

Grim, dark, dusty and smelly. I loved it from the first page to the last.

Thank you, David Gemmell!