Book Review: Blood and Iron

Blood and Iron

By:  Jon Sprunk

Publisher:  Pyr

Publish Date:  March 11, 2014

Format:  Print, 424pgs 6"x9"

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  1st book in The Black Earth series.

Recommendation:  The start of a new magic series with an Epic Fantasy feel to the writing and world.

Book Synopsis:
Set in a richly-imagined world, this action-heavy fantasy epic and series opener is like a sword-and-sorcery Spartacus.

It starts with a shipwreck following a magical storm at sea. Horace, a soldier from the west, had joined the Great Crusade against the heathens of Akeshia after the deaths of his wife and son from plague. When he washes ashore, he finds himself at the mercy of the very people he was sent to kill, who speak a language and have a culture and customs he doesn't even begin to understand.

Not long after, Horace is pressed into service as a house slave. But this doesn't last. The Akeshians discover that Horace was a latent sorcerer, and he is catapulted from the chains of a slave to the halls of power in the queen's court. Together with Jirom, an ex-mercenary and gladiator, and Alyra, a spy in the court, he will seek a path to free himself and the empire's caste of slaves from a system where every man and woman must pay the price of blood or iron. Before the end, Horace will have paid dearly in both.

First Sentence:
Lightning split the night sky above the masts of the Bantu Ray.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository

** I read this book for my own enjoyment.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Horace wakes in a home of strangers speaking a language quite different from any he's ever heard after being washed off the deck of the ship he worked on. Horace is in his countries enemy land, and learns the magic that lays within him when a frightening chaos storm of green lightning rolls in while he's chained with other slaves heading to a temple. Horace meets Jirom, a champion fighter and mercenary captured into slavery months ago. A keen friendship is quickly made when both men see how strong the other is, and not simply muscle strength. While in the grace of the Queen Byleth, Horace meets Alyra. Alyra is a strong slave to the Queen and yet so much more in the world. Horace grows in this town of constant danger and political games.

Jon has produced a story with a strong epic fantasy feel. The story moves along with major event after another with great descriptions of the town, buildings, rooms, and people as we go. I can see some thinking this slows the pace of the story as it stretches the events longer in reading, but it's part of what draws the epic fantasy picture. The world building of the culture Horace comes into and the magic that is cherished here is powerful.

There are three main characters we follow, yet possibly five. First we meet Horace. He's a simple man. He seems to be of a passive personality, not wanting much from the world or life as he's lost what was dear to him before. Yet he survives through the tortures the world puts on him. Horace even ends in a stronger sense than when he started. And he learns of a magic awakened in him. Cool. And I have so many questions about how he's different too. I'm curious of the potential he shows and where it will go.

We then meet Jirom. I have my eye on this man. I seem to love a good mercenary in fantasy and a man with a firm direction.

Then we have Alyra. Alyra caught my attention right off and held it. Her purpose in life and her whereabouts are fully active. I'm curious of her surroundings, even how cruel it can be. I love her determination and will for what she is here to do. She is in the perfect position for what she has to do.

The other two characters we see more of are Queen Byleth and Lord Mulcibar. Mmm, the Queen. I love her. Maybe it's the evil in me, but I enjoyed reading her. She's cunning, powerful, and smart. She knows she's being cornered and will do anything to keep herself safe. And even her people. Lord Mulibar is a likeable character as well. Though there was a few moments I wasn't sure I should trust him. (Yes I'm a suspicious one.) He is the teacher to Horace for the new magic he has found within himself. Mulibar is the way we learn of the magic in this part of the world, and it's interesting to learn with Horace.

There is a question of who is the lesser of two evils present in this book. Which is the worst to rule the city and land? It's a political game to get on top, and keep it.

I'm looking forward to the next three books of the series to see where our characters go and what happens in this city. And there is one that is thought to be an ally that may be something else, but we will see how that plays out in the coming books.

Book Review: Shadow's Master

Shadow's Master

By:  Jon Sprunk

Publisher:  Pyr

Publish Date:  March 27, 2012

Format:  Print, 309pgs 6"x9"

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  3rd book & final book in Shadow Saga series; Book 1 ~ Shadow's Son, Book 2 ~ Shadow's Lure

Recommendation:  The conclusion to the lure Caim has been feeling, toward the North and to much more.

Book Synopsis:
A land of death and shadow where only the strongest survive. yet that is where Caim must go to follow the mystery at the heart of his life. Armed only with his knives and his companions, he plunges into a world of eternal night where the sun is never seen and every hand is turned against him. Caim has buried his father's sword and found some measure of peace, but deep in the north an unfathomable power lies waiting. To succeed on this mission, Caim will have to do more than just survive. He must face the Shadow's Master. With this novel, Jon Sprunk brings his action-packed trilogy to an epic conclusion.

First Sentence:
Shadows pooled on the floor of the broken temple and seeped into the cracks between the stones as he stepped out of the portal.

Purchase At:
Amazon  /  Barnes & Nobles  /  Book Depository

** I read this book for my own enjoyment.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Caim is in the north, and moving further, drawn by a pull and nagging in his chest. Also, he's hoping to find answers to his past. The shadows are growing hungrier and stronger. Caim's control over them is becoming difficult, in calling and pushing them away. Josey has learned news she feels she must share with Caim, and heads on the road north to tell him but along the way she is diverted by her duties as Empress and ruler of the land. She must bring a feuding land together while defend against a new, magically strong enemy.

Jon doesn't hold back here in this third book. He starts with a fight scene 13 pages in and a death less than that. Awesome. We find ourselves on a journey with three different POV's; Caim, Josey, and Balaam. Caim and Josey are both familiar to use and we have followed them for a time now. Balaam is new and follows suit with a shadow character's POV we get. Last book was Sybelle, this time with Balaam. All three go looking for one thing, and seem to find what they need instead.

The book doesn't waste time rehashing what was told in previous books. Jon uses his word count wisely here and starts where Shadow's Lure ends. This series is one to read in order. This story started strong, then Caim's journey slowed a bit for me as he ventures the northern territory to find the city he's looking for. There is danger along the way with fights and action, but I was anxious to get to Erebus and learn all about the Shadow people and Caim's past. I didn't want to wait. And when we got to Erebus I got the answers I was looking for, and more.

Josey has been a pleasant surprise in these books, this book. She has grown into a wonderful Empress and worthy of her peoples love. She is strong and willing to stand on her own. I really enjoyed reading her sections in this story.

This is the last book of the trilogy. In the end, Caim gets his answers and more. Each of the characters finds an internal peace, of sorts. The ending is satisfactory for the way of each of the characters and the person they've grown into. However, I have a feel Jon left a few seeds here to return to the world, should he wish, in the future. With the seeds left, I kind of hope so.

I'm sorry to see this series end, but all great things do. I hope Jon ventures into the future with the seeds he's set here, but I will be following his future stories to come. Thank you Jon for this wonderful adventure.

Interview with fantasy author Jon Sprunk, new release Blood and Iron.

I read and became a fan of Jon Sprunk's with the Shadow Saga. To see a new series starting has thrilled me.

Please welcome Jon to the blog to share about the adventures we will be on.


M:  Hi Jon! I’m thrilled to have you by to share in your new release, Blood and Iron. Congratulations! Can you tell us a bit about the new book?

Jon:  Thank you for having me here. I’d love to! Blood and Iron is the first in a four-book epic fantasy series. The main story revolves around three people. Horace is a shipwright and sailor stranded on the shores of his nation’s enemy, an ancient empire which is ruled by nigh-omnipotent wizard-kings and -queens. Alyra is a slave and a spy for a foreign government. Jirom is a former mercenary taken into slavery and forced to fight for his life as a gladiator. These three characters possess the potential to change the empire forever, if they’re willing to pay price.


M:  Okay, covers don’t always relate to their books. But you had the talented Jason Chan do this amazing artwork. With Jason, it has to relate well with your book. What do you think?

Jon:  I’m beyond thrilled. Jason is amazing, as you said. And he captured the individuality of these characters. I also want to thank my art direction, Lou Anders, and his staff for putting together such a stellar cover.


M:  We have some sea voyage here. Ahoy! Will there be much time spent on ship?

Jon:  Some time, yes. But the majority of the book takes places on dry land. I’ve always been fascinated by old-time seagoing vessels. I think it would take a lot of guts to sail beyond the sight of land in something powered only by sails.


M:  The series is called The Book of the Black Earth. There is a tiny string of a relation to the Shadow Saga here. Can you explain?

Jon:  This series takes place in the same fictional world as my Shadow Saga books, but in a different region with new characters. There is no direct cross-over, although events in one location can affect the other. For instance, Horace’s arrival in the empire is the result of the religious crusade I mentioned in the Shadow books.


M:  The land we see here, Akeshia, has a completely different sound to it than what we saw with Caim in the Shadow Saga. Very dangerous and powerful. Can you tell us about the magic here and the impact of the God-Kings (Queens)?

Jon:  The people of this land worship magic as a divine force. And because the ability to use magic is hereditary, it makes for an interesting society where magical talent actually (usually) trumps other forms of mundane power. The God-Kings and God-Queen are typically very powerful wizards; they literally have the power of life and death in their hands.

For this setting, I drew heavily on the cultures of ancient Babylon and Egypt. One thread that bound those together in my mind was the powerful effect that the supernatural world and belief systems had on everyday life. By inserting magic into the equation, I was able to play on the theme of power and control in a different way.


M:  Sounds like there are many elements here to keep us on our toes. What scene did you find to be the most fun to write?

Jon:  Definitely the one where [SPOILER ALERT] . . . .

Honestly, the ending, because it’s the most challenging part, and thus the most rewarding.


M:  What was more challenging for you in this new adventure and new characters?

Jon:  The seed of this series actual began more than twenty-five years ago. It’s been brewing in the back of my mind, off and on, for so long that it felt very natural. The story, the culture, the characters – they just came together for me.


M:  It sounds like there is politics, magic, culture, action, and oh so much more in one place. How do you balance it all when writing?

Jon:  That’s the difficult part. It’s a juggling act. I work hard to find the right scenes to portray my story and my world. Outlining beforehand helps immensely, but I still do a lot of reconstruction in the editing phase.


M:  Jon, I have to say, I’m glad release day is here because I’m going to get me a copy of this book.

Jon:  Thank you so much, Melissa. Your support, and the support of your readers, means so much to me.


M:  I wish you all the best in words and pages.

Jon:  The same to you.



You can now check out Excerpts online:
Chapter 1 excerpt,   Chapter 2 excerpt


Blood and Iron
By Jon Sprunk
Set in a richly-imagined world, this action-heavy fantasy epic and series opener is like a sword-and-sorcery Spartacus.

It starts with a shipwreck following a magical storm at sea. Horace, a soldier from the west, had joined the Great Crusade against the heathens of Akeshia after the deaths of his wife and son from plague. When he washes ashore, he finds himself at the mercy of the very people he was sent to kill, who speak a language and have a culture and customs he doesn't even begin to understand.

Not long after, Horace is pressed into service as a house slave. But this doesn't last. The Akeshians discover that Horace was a latent sorcerer, and he is catapulted from the chains of a slave to the halls of power in the queen's court. Together with Jirom, an ex-mercenary and gladiator, and Alyra, a spy in the court, he will seek a path to free himself and the empire's caste of slaves from a system where every man and woman must pay the price of blood or iron. Before the end, Horace will have paid dearly in both.


Find Jon Sprunk:
Site:  Jon Sprunk
Facebook:  Jon Sprunk's Fiction Page
Twitter:  @JonSprunk

Purchase Blood and Iron now:

Cover Reveal ~ Blood and Iron

With the celebrations of the 4th blog birthday going on for a week and a half, I missed sharing some amazing covers with you.  So here we go...


I'm THRILLED out of my mind to see Jon Sprunk has a new book, and series, coming our way.  I was lucky enough to hear Jon read a bit from this new work, and I have to say... I CAN'T WAIT!  Outstanding! :D

Here you go, the cover for Jon's newest to come to use...

Blood and Iron

The Land of the Black Earth #1

By:  Jon Sprunk

Due Out:  March 11, 2014

No description shared yet, but when it comes, I hope to share it with you.

I ABSOLUTELY love this cover.  It's caught my eye and has me wanting it in the worst way.  And I think there is some time on the sea as well. ;) Look at those three on the top!  And a magic... Oooo.  And the bottom image.  Dang, I want to get here!

Mythical Monday (19)

It seems there are many books based on or influenced by Myths and Mythological Beings.

There are so many different Mythology and Mythological Beings recorded. Some are very popular and well known, others not so much. There are many similar beings, yet different depending on the culture it’s based in.  The definition of Myth covers about anything in the Urban Fantasy/Fantasy realm to me.

I’ve invited authors to share briefly the Mythological being or Myth that influenced their character(s) or story, or what their character(s) are based on influencing their books.  Hosting here, one author and being or myth per week.

This week we have:

Fantasy author Jon Sprunk

Talking of Fae and Shadow.

Mythological Creatures: Fae and Shadow

Hello everyone. I’m Jon Sprunk, author of the Shadow Saga from Pyr Books. I want to thank Melissa for this chance to tell you about a mythical creature I used in my books: the Fae, as embodied by the character Kit.

Kit is eternally young, beautiful, curious, and a little strange. She can fly and doesn’t require nutritional sustenance. She’s also completely intangible to everyone except the main character, her best friend and the frequent target of her mischief. I actually didn’t plan Kit. She just appeared in the first chapter as I was writing, and she was so entertaining that I kept her in. And she’s been quite the happy accident ever since, playing a pretty major role throughout the trilogy.

As the name implies, my Fae are derived from the faerie world. Ever since I was a child, I’ve enjoyed stories about faeries and other fae creatures. They exist beyond human control, and as such they are inherently mysterious. My favorites were the stories with a decidedly dark tone. Kit is never evil or wicked (although she is frequently naughty). However, there is another side of the Fae coin: the denizens of the Shadow Realm. In my books, the Fae and the Shadow co-exist in the Other Side, a mythical realm beyond the ken of most humans. And while the Fae are generally life-loving creatures, the Shadow folk are corrupted by power and dangerous. If the Fae came to me through tales of faeries and sprites, the Shadow folk came from a darker place, the monsters under the bed and beyond the edge of the map. And like all truly horrible monsters, they come in human form (mostly).

The backstory of my series is that an exiled tribe of Shadow folk have entered the mortal plane, threatening to remake the world in the twisted image of their homeland. Enter the main character, Caim, who is half-Shadow and half-human.

Now, obviously, the Fae and Shadow are an allegory of the eternal struggle between Good and Evil. I think I was drawn to that overarching idea because the books, as seen through the viewpoint of the main character, don’t drawn many good/evil, light/dark divisions. These mythical beings became my moral lodestones, drawing me (and my characters) in either direction. Whenever Caim is wavering and unsure of his purpose (feeling the pull of his Shadow ancestry), Kit is there to remind him of his humanity. But she also exists as an example of the mystical world, the higher plane of existence which is the birthplace of our dreams and visions.

As a fantasy writer, the faerie tales of our Western mythology are a rich mine for ideas, and I’ve been proud to make my own small contribution to those tales.

Author Bio:
I grew up in central Pennsylvania. The eldest of four children, I attended Lock Haven University and graduated with a B.A. in English in 1992. Athough I had always been an avid reader of speculative fiction, it was during my college years that I developed a broader passion for literature and began my first awkward forays into fiction writing. Encouraged by my professors and peers, I set out after graduation to become a “Serious Writer.” Unfortunately, I had failed to notice the specter of Reality stalking at my back. When my disastrous first fantasy novel failed to find a publisher, I bent my knee to the Real World and sought gainful employment. Crushed, I thought my dreams were over.

Over the next decade I married (twice), changed jobs (numerous times), and after much soul-searching, returned to writing. Like most writers, I suspect, I tried to go it alone, seeking to pound my head through the glass ceiling of my innate talent through sheer willpower and effort. Finally, after many more rejections, I joined Pennwriters and attended their annual conference in 2004. I am both proud and ashamed to admit that I learned more in those two days about the business of writing than I had in the previous ten years. I was also getting the first inklings of why my fiction had not yet made me a household name. Up till then, I hadn’t known how to fashion a true story.

So, I did what any Serious Writer would do. I joined a writers’ group (Pennwriters, to be exact). And I read about the art of writing, a lot. I started to admit to myself that perhaps I could use a little help, that the next Great American Novel wasn’t going to spring from my head, full-grown and ready for world acclaim like some literary Athena.

Since then I have seen some success. I’ve had several short stories published and in June 2009 I signed a multi-book contract with Pyr Books. Best of all, I have the love and support of my wife, and that makes all the difference in the world.


Find Jon Sprunk:
Site:  Fantasy Author Jon Sprunk

Facebook:  Jon Sprunk's Fiction Page

Twitter:  @jsprunk70


The Shadow Saga books:

Looking Forward To...(90)

There are so many amazing books already on the shelves and new ones coming out.

For a list of books yet to be released I'm looking to get, you can also look on my right Sidebar at the ever growing list titled Desired Reads - just scroll down. Of course there are tones of other new books to come out that are amazing as well, but these ones are part of series I have already started or for one reason or another caught my eye (and haven't seen much on other blogs yet). But I will highlight one here each week.

(mentioned in order of Release Date then Alphabetical if there are more than one book coming out on the same date.)

Next Book Is...

Shadow's Master

#3 of Shadow Saga

By:  Jon Sprunk

Due Out:  It's Available!!

I read and enjoyed the first two books of this trilogy.  Something about the shadows and a thief just pulled to me, and the man in a cloak with daggers on the covers. ;D

This book is next on my list as it was slighted to be released March 27, 2012.  However, it came out a month early!  I still wanted to share it here, as I'm looking forward to getting it.  Yes, I've ordered and it's on its way to me now. :)

Goodreads Synopsis:
The northern wastes... 

A land of death and shadow where only the strongest survive. Yet that is where Caim must go to follow the mystery at the heart of his life. Armed only with his knives and his companions, he plunges into a world of eternal night where the sun is never seen and every hand is turned against him. 

Caim has buried his father’s sword and found some measure of peace, but deep in the north an unfathomable power lays waiting. To succeed on this mission, Caim will have to more than just survive. He must face the Shadow’s Master.

Cover Release: Shadow's Master

This is a fantasy series I've been loving, and the third book in the Shadow Saga now has a cover!

I love this! Look, there's Kit!  Yes, I really like Caim's friend, she always has his back.  Caim looks a little rougher in this cover as well, but he is going through some rough times where he's at... (read the books! lol!)

Book Review: Shadow's Lure

Shadow's Lure

By:  Jon Sprunk

Publisher:  Pyr

Publish Date:  June 2011

Format:  ARC

Genre:  Fantasy

Series:  2nd book in Shadow Saga series; Book 1 ~ Shadow's Son

Recommendation:  Yes!  We learn more of the shadows magic that Caim touches on.  Great tromp through the snowy north full of action!

Book Synopsis:
The unforgiving Northlands...

In Othir, he was at the top of the food chain - an assassin beyond compare, a dark shadow in the night.  But Caim left that life behind when he helped an empress claim her throne.  And now his past has come calling again.

Searching for the truth behind the murder and disappearance of his parents, Caim discovers a land in thrall to the Shadow.  Haunted by temptations from the Other Side, he becomes mired in a war he does not want to fight.

But there are some things a son of the Shadow cannot ignore, and some fights from which he can't run.  In this battle, all of Caim's strength and skill won't be enough.

Fore non can resist the Shadow's Lure.

First Sentence:
A bitter north wind blew off the moors.

My Thoughts and Summary:
Caim's traveling to the snow covered rebellious North to see if he can find "her" or more about "her" as Levictus mentioned at the end of Shadow's Son she was up North somewhere.  The land he left when he was eight after that horrid night that haunts Caim's dreams still.  Caim travels light, with his usual weapons, the dark sword that was waiting for him at Kas's cabin, and the personal journal of Arch-priest Vassili.  Caim finds himself fighting with untrained men at his back, yet still alone as Kit disappears.  Yet what Kit has to learn could come in handy as well.

Josey has come into the seat of Empress as her blood right is, but is still learning and tending with the reminder of how she got here.  With the Church over thrown and the new order short on funds some Nobles have started to take advantage of a weakened moment and harass each other along with banditry increasing.  Josey seems to be sitting as a figure head, but she speaks up with a solution to problems and starts to take control for her subjects.  There is a creature sent to assassinate Josey and has her running around to stay alive and find the assassin along with who sent it.

Quickly in the first Chapter we are reminded of the character strength in Caim.  Although we get a small feeling he is tired and a little run down.  In these moments we get the reminder of things and people important in his life.  Wonderful start off the bat here.  I remember where things left off as this refreshes easily and opens doors to more possibilities simultaneously.  Makes me want to know more.

We follow two basic story lines in this book.  One of Caim in the north fighting with the rebels against the duke and his witch, then with Josey as she fights for her life and tries to find her would be assassin.  I enjoy both lines greatly!  Josey's story line shows to me how greatly in strength her character grows.  There is a great amount going on in both story lines and in the end start to tie together.  In doing this we do follow a few different point of views.  This is well done with Caim and Josey.  Even Kit has her own view point in this book as well.

Then we meet our new characters in the series.  We do follow a view point from the witch Sybelle as well.  Which really starts to give us a view into the Shadows side of things.  There is many interesting things to learn here.  And many North clan men make the roaster as well.  A few seem to become bigger players in the end.  And I look forward to see where all the characters, new and old, go with Caim in the next book.

The world created here expands in this book.  We get to see more from the broken Northern side, the crumbling of Othir, and new worlds that seem to be of a fey type origin.  We have Kit's world and the Shadow world.  I like these glimpses and still want more.

Oh, I'll be watching for the third installment of this series to come along.  I WANT to read more of what is hidden in the shadows for Caim, Kit, Josey, and many others.


I requested a copy of this book for review from the publisher.

This book qualifies for Speculative Fiction Challenge hosted by Floor to Ceiling Books.

Who? What? Where? (23)

Who are you with? Where are you at? What's happening?

Share with us just a little bit of what is happening in the book you are reading, right where you are now.

Just a tiny taste of what's happening, remember try to not give spoilers of the book.

(This is a new meme I'm going to try and will tweak as I go. And please don't laugh at my lame attempt at drawing. ;D )

I'm moving this post from Thursdays to Wednesdays as I have another idea for Thursdays.

I'm with Caim and his guide Hagan waking under the Evergreen tree where camp was made in the protection of the limbs from the cold and the shadow 'creatures' out in the dark.  Hagan was the only man left at the inn (other than owner) after the fight with those soldiers, who was willing to lead Caim North to the city he wants to find, the one that might have the answers he is looking for.

Shadow's Lure

By Jon Sprunk

Teaser Tuesday (79)

Teaser Tuesday

is a weekly event

Sponsored by MizB of Should be Reading

Here's how it works:

Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)

Open the book to any random page.

Share 2 teaser sentences from anywhere on the page

Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!

(Don't Give Too Much Away)

Just enough to pique our interests

This Week:

Caim gathered up the shadows around him.  They whispered and crooned in the trees overhead.

Shadow's Lure

By Jon Sprunk

102pg of ARC

Looking Forward To...(46)

There are so many amazing books already on the shelves and new ones coming out.

For a list of books yet to be released I'm looking to get, you can also look on my right Sidebar at the ever growing list titled Desired Reads - just scroll down. Of course there are tones of other new books to come out that are amazing as well, but these ones are part of series I have already started or for one reason or another caught my eye (and haven't seen much on other blogs yet). But I will highlight one here each week.

(mentioned in order of Release Date then Alphabetical if there are more than one book coming out on the same date.)

Next Book Is...

Shadow's Lure

Shadow Saga #2

By:  Jon Sprunk

Due Out:  June 2011

I read the first book of Caim and his invisible side-kick, Kit.  I want to learn more about him, and his history or ancestory.  I really enjoyed reading this assassin in action.  So, I have to have the second book.

If you would like to read my review of the first book:  Shadow's Son.
I also did a Favorite Fiction Character on Caim:  HERE.

Visit Jon's Site for his books, HERE.

Goodreads Synopsis:
In the wild frontiers of the North, life and death balance on a sword's edge.

Caim travels to this forbidding land in search of answers about his past, but the emergence of a new plot from the Shadow tosses him into a malestrom of death and deceit. Against a cunning foe that threatens not just his life, but his very soul, Caim must seek out the strength buried inside him. To free his homeland and himself, he must confront the Shadow's Lure . . .

Cover Release ~ Shadow's Lure

Do you remember my Review and Favorite Fictional Character of Shadow's Son by Jon Sprunk?

No.  Well here are the links, go check them out as I really enjoyed this first book.

     Review of Shadow's Son

     Favorite Fictional Character

Well, I just saw the cover ~ which according to Jon at his blog is still a work in process.  But this cover is just amazing.  And follows the theme of the first book too.

I love looking at new covers and thinking what they might be hinting at.  And this one has many great hints.  We have Caim and his knives along with Kit, who is always tagging along with Caim.  And you see the shadows swirling through the picture as well, Caim's little secret and escape. (curious now? go get the first book!)  And the scene, its winter and there is a tree.  So, maybe we are out in the wilderness in winter searching for Caim's heritage.  Just a few thoughts...

Can't wait to get this second book in my hands.  And love the cover!

Favorite Fictional Character (27)

Meme Sponsored and hosted by the creative mind of Ryan at Wordsmithonia.

I have been looking through my books as I have started to tote them up for a short time.  And Just about every series or book I have read have wonderful characters I have enjoyed reading.

I have a new series I started this year, which only the first book is out but I am looking forward to reading more of the series... A Shadow's Son by Jon Sprunk.

I enjoyed reading of Caim.  Caim is the main character, and an assassin in this book.  He is rather good at what he does, one of THE best.  As I read the book I started to see Caim really isn't as ruthless as thought an assassin would be.  He is simply just doing a job, in which he is paid for.  He even thinks he is doing something to help people.

But there are a few things that make Caim even more special.  First is his close friend, whom no one else hears or sees ~ Kit.  Kit is a special character in herself and I don't want to give anything away on her, so you will have to read the book.  But Caim also has some wonderous and unusual abilities.  He is in some way affiliated with the dark, or shadows.  Caim has an ability to become part of them, and no one will see him ~ hide in the shadows.  As well as Caim has amazing abilities that come to the surface in this book.

I look forward to reading more of Caim and learning more of his heritage and seeing what all he is capable to do as he learns more.

Book Review: Shadow's Son

Shadow's Son

By:  Jon Sprunk

Publisher:  Pyr

Publish Date:  June 2010

Genre:  Fantasy

Format:  Paperback, 278 pgs 6"x9"

Series:  1st book in Shadow Saga Novel

Recommendation:  Yes, A fantasy with dark magic and assassins, who is on who's side?

Book Synopsis:
In the holy city of Othir, trechery and corruption lurk at the end of every street, just the place for a freelance assassin with no loyalties and few scruples.  Caim makes his living on the edge of a blade, but when a routine job goes south, he is thrust into the middle of an insidious plot.  Pitted against crooked lawmen, rival killers, and sorcery from the Other Side, his only allies are Josephine, the socialite daughter of his last target, and Kit, a guardian spirit no one else can see.  In this fight for his life, Caim only trusts his knives and his instincts, but they won't be enough when his quest for justice lands him from Othir's hazardous back alleys to its shining corridors of power.  To unmask a conspiracy at the heart of the empire, he must claim his birthright as the Shadow's Son...

First Sentence:
A killer stalked in the shadows.

My Review and Summary:
Caim is an assassin.  Kit is his beautiful guardian, no one else can hear or see.  Kit has been with Caim for most of his life.  She has helped him and warned him of numerous dangers - before they happen.  For Caim fear is the key to the Shadows, and he can hide in the Shadows, unlike any other.

Against Caim's better judgement, he takes a job as a favor to his one friend in Othir, Mathis.  The job was started by Ral, another assassin, who quit the job for another.  This job goes arry in so many different angles.  Caim finds himself protecting his targets daughter, Josey - a gorgeous young lady.

Yes, this is a read of and with assassins.  But even though there are assassins in the story, I enjoyed the additions to the story; dark magic, the empire and government, and the characters.  It is not just about killing the bad guys, but about the story that is built here and what happens with the creations of the shadows.

The first chapter starts off with a bang; the action and mystery of who Kit is along with what Caim can do with the shadows.  After chapter one the action slows just a little as you meet the main players of the story.  You get to know them by way of flashbacks that highlight important pasts of their lives.  Ones that lead them to who they are.  This was a great way to get to know the characters along with some information for the storyline and conflicts.  Don't fret as the action does pick back up.  As I read I came up with questions, and got answers to the questions which then lead to bigger questions.  The story and questions were all mixed with conspiracy, corruption, and mistrusts.

I was amazed at how this book reads as a whole story, or a stand-alone, with so much happening in this novel to complete the story.  At a few transition spots got the feel that they where rushed, but these are small parts in a wonderful story.  There is an end to the main story here, but there seems to be an underlining which you start to learn of Caim and his family history, the Shadows.  I liked the use of Shadows as the ability Caim has. I am very curious to learn more about Caim as he learns more of who he is and what he can do.

Would you like to read the first chapter?  Click here to do so.

Jon Sprunk's official web site, click here.



This book was a purchase of my own for reading.
This book qualifies for my Speculative Fiction Challenge hosted by Book Chick City.

Looking Forward to... (4)

This is becoming a regular meme for me to do lately.  There are so many amazing new books coming to the shelves at all times and I have started this year really getting into the new reads.  Of course the books on the shelves already are on my lists as well, and I am picking them up too.

This week is a new book by Jon Sprunk, Shadow's Son:

This is a Fantasy read and from what Goodreads has listed, is to be released June 22, 2010.  I am always looking for new writer and stories, and this one sounds to fall in that category for me.

Here is the synopsis from Jon's Site:

In the holy city of Othir, treachery and corruption lurk at the end of every street, just the place for a freelance assassin with no loyalties and few scruples.

Caim makes his living on the edge of a blade, but when a routine job goes south, he is thrust into the middle of an insidious plot. Pitted against crooked lawmen, rival killers, and darkest sorcery, his only allies are the socialite daughter of his last target and a guardian spirit no one else can see. But in this fight for his life, Caim only trusts his knives and his insticts, but they won't be enough when his quest for justice leads him from Othir's hazardous back alleys to its shining corridors of power. To unmask a conspiracy at the heart of the empire, he must claim his birthright as the Shadow's Son...

If you would like to visit Jon's official Web Site, Click here.