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  • Of Blood and Bone
  • A Time of Dread

A Time of Dread

Of Blood and Bone #1 / 3 ✓
by John Gwynne
A Time of Dread (Of Blood and Bone #1) by John Gwynne
★ 8.50 / 4
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Set in the same world as the Faithful and the Fallen quartet, the first novel in John Gwynne's Blood and Bone series, A Time of Dread, takes place one hundred years after the end of Wrath.

The Banished Lands are experiencing a new era of peace, imposed often forcibly by the angelic Ben-Elim. But this peace is fragile, and something rotten lurks at its heart.

Young soldier Rae will do anything to join the White Wings, the Ben-Elim's peace keeping force. But a shocking betrayal shakes her view of the world and she must decide where her true allegiances lie. In the west, the giantess Sig investigates demon sightings with an elite band of warriors, though the Kadoshim were defeated long before. Sig discovers signs of an uprising and black magic - but just how serious is this threat? And in the snow-bound north, Drem and his father hunt for a living. On one excursion, they discover mutilated corpses in the silent forests behind their home. Yet is it the work of a predator, or something far worse?

It seems mankind are little more than pawns in a bigger game - and in the shadows, demons bide their time, waiting to strike...

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FantasyEpic FantasyHigh Fantasy
Release date: January 11, 2018

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John Gwynne

John Gwynne

In the world of epic fantasy, few voices echo with as much raw heart and thunder as John Gwynne’s. His stories aren’t just told—they're lived through the grit of the battlefield, the quiet strength of loyalty, and the blood-oath bonds of family. With every book, he builds worlds forged in ancient myth and sharpened by very human truths: courage, loss, honor, and vengeance. It's not surprising that his novels, including The Faithful and the Fallen, Of Blood and Bone, and The Bloodsworn Saga, have carved a place among modern fantasy’s most beloved sagas.

Read more ...

But behind the battle cries and berserker rage lives a man whose own life pulses with as much color and grit as the pages he writes. Born in Singapore while his father served in the Royal Air Force, John grew up traveling the world before settling on the windswept south coast of the UK. There, between the sea breeze and the clang of mail armor (yes, he’s a Viking re-enactor), his imagination took root.

John’s writing is grounded in his love of Norse mythology and the timeless themes of fate, faith, and found family. His prose is visceral yet lyrical, often dancing between heartbreak and hope. It's no coincidence that fans often say they feel every sword strike, every betrayal, and every quiet, sacred moment in his books. These aren’t just epic fantasies—they’re emotional epics.

Before he was a full-time author, John wore many hats: university lecturer, soap factory worker, rock ’n’ roll bassist. But it’s the role of father and shield brother that shapes much of his storytelling. He writes surrounded by the warm chaos of family life—three sons, a daughter, several dogs, a horse, and, famously, a lamb who thinks she’s one of the pack.

His debut novel Malice didn’t just introduce readers to a new world—it stormed into the genre, winning the David Gemmell Morningstar Award for Best Debut. Since then, his readership has grown into a loyal warband, eagerly awaiting each new clash of gods, monsters, and mortals.

In 2021, John's life took a devastating turn with the loss of his daughter, Harriett. He stepped away from writing to grieve, but when he returned, it was with a renewed sense of purpose—channeling love, sorrow, and resilience into The Fury of the Gods, a finale that now holds deeper meaning for him and for readers who have walked beside his characters through every triumph and tragedy.

As John once said, “Fantasy is the mirror we hold to the soul.” In his case, that mirror reflects a storyteller whose tales are as fierce and tender as life itself.

Of Blood and Bone

Of Blood and Bone consists of three books — considered a complete series. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

Main series The Banished Lands

A Time of Dread (Of Blood and Bone #1)
★ 8.50 / 4
A Time of Blood (Of Blood and Bone #2)
★ 9.00 / 3
A Time of Courage (Of Blood and Bone #3)
★ 9.50 / 2


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