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4.25/5 stars! This is the second book in the Combat Codes Saga. I appreciate the fighting system for this book. It's a unique take that I don't know if I've ever seen highlighted in a fantasy series before. The closest comparison I could think of was some of the training rings in Will of the Many. This is a very dark and intense fantasy tale and not for the faint of heart. The fight scenes were amazing to experience but I did feel like outside of the fighting, there were points where the pacing dragged. Overall, an interesting read and I'll be watching for the finale.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

Where THE COMBAT CODES is a story of a boy learning to fight (better) in a school, making friends and building a team, GRIEVAR'S BLOOD is a story about people caught up in the rumbles before a rebellion explodes. They are not the instigators or agents of the rebellion 9by and large), they are people dragged into its current as they try to achieve their own goals. It gives this book a very different feel to THE COMBAT CODES. It's a far more expansive story for a start.

Instead of Cego as the main POV with Murray as a secondary, three new characters also narrate - Sol, Silas, and a boy who becomes Silas' squire. At different points in the story, different characters' stories become more important than Cego's (the last quarter has no Cego in it until the last chapter.)

The book also travels to other countries with Sol and Silas. It was nice to see more of the world and get a sense of how it's run and what the tensions are. Plus the Emerald Isle was so much prettier a location than the deep or the lyceum! It's rotten to the core, but it was nice to have some greenery and pretty settings for a contrast to the rock and shadows. One is more honest about it's general goodness for people, though.

It's a very explosive ending that promises action and stakes in the final book of the trilogy. This instalment has answered some questions but also poses a lot more that I want answers to!

The first book in this series was such A surprise to me (in the best way) after hearing it recommended by a blogger on YouTube as it was like nothing I had ever read before. This sequel, the middle of the trilogy I believe, continues the world building and tensions continue to rise hugely - how long till we get Book 3?

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

The sequel to Grievars Blood continues Cego's journey, this time expanding upon his enigmatic family. The fate of those he grew up with intrinsically entangles Cego's journey to knighthood.

Torn by ties of loyalty, friendship and family, Cego must navigate a path through dangerous waters. His very existence challenges others' plans, whilst his mysterious powers are a constant enigma.

The world grows in the trilogy's middle book, with higher stakes. Through all this, Cego tries to understand who and what he is. The only bad part of the book will be the wait till book 3. Very enjoyable and recommended.

I just found a new favorite series, and I can thank this novel for that. The first book in this series was also very solid and so freaking good, so I knew going into this one that it was going to be at least as good as its predecessor. And it was.
The plot is still fascinating, and the universe is original and so engaging. It truly is such an interesting and compelling universe. The characters are a bit more developed in this second book, and some of them go through some honestly horrible things. A few characters are really despicable but the other ones are the ones I loved to learn about.
The ending makes me want to read the sequel so badly, and I can’t believe I have to wait until october of next year to read it. I don’t want to wait. I really don’t.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This is a solid middle book and I'm really excited to see how this trilogy ends. Darwin is a talent and I'm looking forward to seeing what he works on!

ARC provided by the publisher—Orbit Books—in exchange for an honest review.

Grievar’s Blood is a daring sequel to The Combat Codes. The cast is bigger and the stakes are higher than before.

“Don’t run from it,” Cego said. “I’ve done that. I think I’ve been doing that my entire life. Running away from my past, trying to escape. And I know now that path only leads deeper into the darkness.” “So, what then?” Sol asked. “If we can’t get away from it, what can we do?” “Embrace it,” Cego said. “Welcome the weight of your past. Don’t run from it. Stand in front of it and let it flow through you. Let it make you stronger. Sometimes, we need to hurt ourselves to kill the demons. Sometimes, we need to feel the pain, every darkin’ bit of it, raw as it comes, before we can pick ourselves up again.”

The story in Grievar’s Blood takes place about two years since The Combat Codes started. Cego would love to focus on his study of martial arts, but the revelations about his mysterious past that he found at the end of the first book distract his concentration. However, Cego isn’t the only main focus character now; two new main POV characters are included here, Solara Halberd and The Slayer. I honestly didn’t expect the direction of the narrative in Grievar’s Blood; Darwin has taken a risk with his storytelling decision.

Instead of focusing the narrative exclusively on Cego like in the first book, Darwin decided to made Solara and The Slayer receive equal moments of the spotlight as Cego did. This could’ve easily backfired, and I’m sure it DID backfire for many readers who solely want Cego and Murray as the key characters. This has happened to Tower Lord and Queen of Fire (shudders) by Anthony Ryan, and for a while, I did worry that Grievar’s Blood would encounter the same issue because I DO want to read more of Cego after spending an entire book with him. Thankfully, my worries were unfounded.

“Thoughts constantly barraging the mind are like thieves entering a home. First, a Grievar must learn to recognize the thieves upon entry, see them for their true nature. Second, a Grievar must accept the thieves within their home, the intruders have arrived and there is nothing to do. Finally, a Grievar must show the thieves that their home is empty, there is nothing to steal within.”

There were indeed moments where I thought to myself, “Solara’s story seems to be unnecessary” or “Is Cego’s story being put on the bench now?” because Cego’s POV didn’t appear in the final 35% of the book. But Darwin has done a terrific job in connecting all three storylines together, and by the end of it, he has successfully transformed the small scope story established in The Combat Codes into a larger-scope narrative about freedom, justice, and revenge. There’s an emphasis on politics and world-building, and we get to learn more about the Daimyo. This indeed made the action scenes relatively fewer in quantity, but they’re certainly not lacking in quality. Duels felt more impactful in Grievar’s Blood, and the trial scene plus its result were my favorite scenes in the book.

“Practice a technique once and you’ll know what it looks like. Practice it a hundred times and you’ll know what it feels like. Practice it one thousand times and you’ll hit it on a lesser-skilled opponent. Practice it five thousand times and you’ll hit it on an opponent of equal skill.”

Overall, Grievar’s Blood is a great middle-installment. Darwin has raised the tension and scope of the series without losing the entertaining factor of the series. I couldn’t put the final 15% of the book down, every storyline converged at the end, and now I’m eagerly looking forward to reading the conclusion of the series that will also come out within this year.

You can order this book from: Amazon | Blackwells (Free International shipping)

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