http://speculiction.blogspot.com/2021/12/review-of-bloodheir-by-brian-ruckley.ht... ( )

Waiting to see how the final book pans out. ( )

A stronger outing than the first, this volume continues to set the stage for the first half, and then finally lets loose in the latter half. Great characters continue to evolve in realistic ways, while the story marches on in a way that seems real right down to the peons. To be fair, "plods" may be a better term than "marches" when describing the pace of the story, but it hits a gallop by the end. ( )

Often, the second book in a trilogy is accused of something called “Middle Book Syndrome”. The idea is that the second book in most trilogies is mostly filler and very little plot movement really happens. And often it is true. But if anyone accuses Brian Ruckley’s second book in The Godless World trilogy, Bloodheir of suffering from middle book syndrome, I’m afraid I will have to scoff in his face.

Bloodheir moves the story from the personal to the epic. In the first book of the trilogy, Winterbirth most of the story was about the harrowing near escapes of its protagonists, with occasional insights into the minds of the villains. While that sort of writing style continues in Bloodheir the action moves out from the immediacy of survival for the heroes and catching them for the villains into grand political machinations and sweeping battles. Some of the minor characters who were encountered in the first book, such as Taim Narran and some of the Inkallim, move out into the fore, and add more dimensions to this epic fantasy.

Ruckley’s characterization continues to be good. He refuses to have his characters make sudden, abrupt changes in personality, instead opting for slow changes. They way they change, and the way they behave becomes believable, and they continue to react to their environment in believable fashions. That is not to say that some of the characters, mostly in supporting roles, are two-dimensional – like Aweult – but for the most part their reactions are believable. In particular, the way that Ruckley describes two loves intrigued me as a reader. Orisian’s love from afar of E’ssyr reminds me very much of myself as a youngster, and Orisian’s reaction and behavior are very much in line with how a young man might act when he feels desire for a woman he respects and whom he refuses to force into love with him. Mordyn Shadowhand and Tara’s love for one another as a married couple is well-written as well. The passion and loyalty they feel for one another is a tangible thing, and anyone who has ever experienced it in real life will see that Ruckley was able to capture that feeling in truth. And these are but minor parts of characterization in the grand scope of the story.

I highly recommend you read Bloodheir and its prequel Winterbirth.

Full Review at Grasping for the Wind ( )

spring08,fantasy ( )