Tuesday 24 May 2011

Review: Blood of Requiem - Daniel Arenson

Series: Requiem Fire book 1
Genre: Fantasy
Pages: E-book 250
Published: May 3rd 2011

Long ago stood the kingdom of Requiem, a land of men who could grow wings and scales, breathe fire, and take flight as dragons. Requiem ruled the sky. But Dies Irae, a tyrant leading an army of griffins, hunted Requiem's people, burned their forests, and shattered their temples. Requiem fell. This ancient land now lies in ruin, its halls crumbled, its cries silenced, its skeletons littering the burned earth. In the wilderness, a scattering of survivors lives in hiding. The griffins still hunt them, and every day promises death. Will Requiem's last children perish in exile... or once more become dragons and fly to war?

My thoughts:
I do not read e-books that often since I only have my borrowed reader from the library. But when I got an email from Arenson I knew I had to read this book. Because I got a taste of his writing in the anthology Kiss Me, Kill Me and it was good.

This is the first book in a planned trilogy and I like the world building. The Reqiem were humans who could transform into dragons, but then they were killed and hunted to extinction. It was bloody and it was horrible. The man who did it was a prince who was meant to rule the land but he could not shift so he grew angry. This book then takes place 10 years later and there are survivors, but the future is bleak.

First I must say that this book has a bad guy that I just wanted to strangle. She was so evil! I have not read about such an evil character in quite some time. Her name is Gloriae and she is the daughter of Dies Irae (who in his turn is an evil bastard too), but I was mostly angry with Gloriae. Because she was actually good and was kidnapped by him. She was the daughter of the Requiem King Benedictus and his wife (bit does not know it). Sure if a person is raised evil she can turn evil but I wished she had seen the error of her way. Her father rapes a women, kills a peasant and she laughs? She should think for herself and see it's wrong. There you have it, the evil duo. Remarkable done since it was those two that had me wanting to read more and more, wishing they would die.

I spent enough time talking about the bad guys, but they just brought forward a lot of emotions. The good guys are Benedictus, poor man and Kyrie who is a young reqiuem and…, oh I will save some secrets. I liked Kyrie, he really wanted to fight back even though they had no force at all. But he was angry and who could blame him.

One more thing. People are blind and stupid. The dragons never did any harm, but Dies came with his lies and people believed and now the dragons are thought of as monsters. That is what one wicked cruel man can do with words. And those that spoke down were hunted down. I still hope they will see right from wrong.

The book isn't that dark, but at the same time it is very bleak, because how can I have hope when there is no way they can survive or fight back? I really need to know what happens next.

Conclusion:
This book had me turning page after page to see what happens. It's exciting and good with fleshed out characters that will make you scream. I want to read more of this series and I would recommend this fantasy author to others.

Rating:
Page-turner

Cover
Fits since it's fantasy

Source: Author



winners:
Love Drunk Cowboy
Mona and Mary (email sent to publisher )

The Legend of Michael
Dana and Melissa (books on their way)


26 comments:

  1. Sounds like an unputdownable read! I'm glad that you enjoyed it so much. Gloriae sounds like an interesting character - for some reason, I always find villains interesting. The concept of a "Reqiem" seems very unique.

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  2. I love a good baddie! Love the cover.

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  3. Sounds like a great read for you. I do like that cover!

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  4. Dies irae, dies illa, solvent saecullum in favilla, tested David cum Sibilla...Sorry I couldn't help myself. Interesting book with two strong baddies and a girl who laughs when somebody rapes a woman...hmmm

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  5. This sounds like a great book. I haven't read much fantacy but I know I do enjoy it. I love the cover too...there is just something about dragons that gets to me. Maybe it's that whole animal loving side of me. I've always thought it would be fun to own a dragon, you know...like Hagrid from Harry Potter. :-P Of course they aren't reall but it would still be fun. :-D

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  6. @Misha
    Oh it was :D
    I do like villains too, but she arghh, I still loathe her. She was just that evil..I do like how he managed that.

    @Vivienne
    She is on my top baddie list from all time

    @Darlene
    I do like fantasy :D

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  7. @Ana
    What? Don't you got Latin on me now girl!
    I told you she was evil. She did not care what he did, and she was just as bad. She surely killed lots of requiem babies too.

    @Paper
    Lol, yes I could see how it could be fun. It could sure take me places, and I would not have to pay. But then they are big and would need lots of food

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  8. No, not sure I want to read this series. According to your review, it has an open ending, with no light in sight.

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  9. @Aurian
    Well it is a series so it's not like it could end happily..even if it did end sort of happily. But there is still work to be done, and hardship to overcome and blood to be spilled. Just like in any fantasy series. And who knows perhaps it will all work out. Though they are just so few

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  10. Oh...I forgot to mention that the bad guy does sound so evil. I know she was raised that way and all but still...grr! :-P I am placing this on my TBR list on GR's. :-D

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  11. Sounds like a book I would get upset with in a good way. This sounds good.

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  12. hahaha "People are blind and stupid." Ain't that the truth.

    I love it when you read a short story by an author and then crave more. That is a good sign.

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  13. She's on your top baddie list of all time?! Wow!

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  14. One of these days I will dip my toes back into fantasy...I will keep this one in mind. Glad that you enjoyed it and looking forward to the rest!

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  15. Oooohhhh...this sounds so good! I'm going to add it to my wishlist.

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  16. Oh, I wonder if it will come out in paper. This sounds like a great fantasy read, blood and all! lol. Great review! I think I need this one, just keeping my fingers crossed that it will be in print some time. :)

    Thank you!

    And thanks for letting us know the books are on their way. :)

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  17. I love a good villain too! I guess b/c they are so much more interesting!

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  18. This sounds good! I also liked his story in Kiss Me Kill Me..I'll have to check this one out. Great read :)

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  19. I meant to say, great review. :sigh:

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  20. @De
    I know, grrrrr *hits Gloriae* So evil. I could try to write such a evil character but dunno if I would manage it

    @Melissa
    I sure got upset, but yes in a good way. Cos it sure made me read fast

    @Missie
    And trust me, that does not happen often for me..almost never. Cos they are always so short, but his short story was good!

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  21. @Chris
    Some baddies I love (cos I got the hots for them), some I can deal with and then there are some I just want dead..so yes, on that list ;)

    @Staci
    You really need to get back to fantasy. Don't you miss it? :D

    @Yvonne
    Please do :D

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  22. @Melissa
    I got the email on Monday that they are being shipped so surely this week :D
    I really think some big publisher should buy this book and print it!

    @Dc
    So true, a good villain just has so much more to offer in a way

    @Bucky
    I would love to read more about that world. fascinating

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  23. Oooh dragons and what seems like a decadently evil villain - always love those :)

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  24. I love it when the baddie is really, really bad, so this sounds like my type of read lol.

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  25. This one sounds really interesting, I think I might look for it at the library this summer.

    You mentioned that it was a pretty bleak read, was there even a glimmer of hope by the end? I know it's a trilogy, but there's only so much depressing one can read without a little hope thrown in.

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  26. @Steph
    Oh she is evil, and the kind of evil that she actually thinks she is doing good. Those are the worse

    @teddy
    She is so bad, and she thinks she is so good. Awesome

    @Jennifer
    Yes bleak, but not depressing. It's more like with many fantasy books it seems so dark now because there are two more books and you can't fix everything at once

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