I would like to thank the author for an advance copy of this novel in exchange for a fair and honest review

Publisher – Elsewhen Press

Published – Out Now in eBook 2/2 February

Price – £2.99 Kindle ebook £12 paperback

Sharma stands on the precipice of destruction as Gavendara’s army of shapeshifters surges towards the Valantian mountains. A mutant invasion leaving terror and death in its wake and whose victims rise again, swelling its ranks.

Yet still the Synod dithers, its leaders fractured as they plot and scheme against each other. Jaedin is now a fugitive, Bryna’s powers are waning, and Rivan grapples with the consequences of his resurrection – as well as the ominous entity that now lives beneath his skin. Whilst Miles, torn between loyalties, faces an impossible choice that could reshape the fate of nations.

Meanwhile, to the east, Elita seeks sanctuary within the enigmatic depths of Babua’s jungle. The people who dwell there are distrustful of her, but for a good reason. She indeed has secrets, and it seems that trouble has followed her.

NB this is the third book in the Avatars of Ruin series starting  with the great Bloodsworn by Tej Turner and Blood Legacy

Among the staple elements of epic fantasy, we tend to have the quest – our heroes search for someone or something to save the world. But often we love a good war too. Heroes versus villains, saving the world as the stakes and just possibly an enjoyment of violence with added magic and monsters.  Often, they’re the big climactic moments of any series. In Tej Turner’s dramatic Blood War the third in the Avatars of Ruin series it goes erupts to start pointing the series in a  new direction but the stand-out for me is the impact on the characters we’ve grown to love.

The traditionally peaceful country of Sharma is under attack from its neighbour Gavendara. But this time its no mere land war. Gavendara’s rulers are desperate for more land and have created the Zakaras – mutated humans into horrific and powerful beasts that kill and maim but also cn infect their victims to turn them. Sharma’s hope has rested with a small group of young people who via their previous adventures have evolved into powerful warriors and for a smaller group enhanced humans. The skirmishes are over, treachery is afoot and now everyone knows war is imminent.

Turner’s tale has really worked hard to re-intepret the traditional band of young heroes. Usually clean-cut, flawless, and untrue to any reality this time over the previous two books we have characters dealing with growing up, PTSD, jealousy and not wanting to become the heroes as well as the pain of becoming an adult and finding out no one else will save you. The group has been put through the wringer several times. None of which gets much better for the team in this outing – bad for them but engrossing for the reader.

The first half of the book is exploring the set up for a conflict. Selma’s new leader Selena is distrustful of these heroes mainly as the most powerful Jaedin who weilds the most magical power killed her traitorous predecessor in cold blood and is now showing a desire to do what he feels is right rather than due process.  Jaedin’s twin Bryna who has been the more traditionally quiet and stable of the pair, but she is now dealing with her own mysterious and life-changing powers as well as gaining an unusual insight into the future. Their former teacher Miles, a double agent for Gavendara is supposed to have found the light but he is finding his old employers have their claws in him.

There are lots of other challenges for the wider cast in this section all about the teams being pushed and it feels realistic. Dealing with authority and shifting dynamics but pleasingly everyone must decide if they can do their best. If the previous books are taking a realistic approach to dropping people into a fantasy battleground this is about stepping up whatever the cost will be. You feel for what the characters are having to decide.

This then leads to a very impressive and very well-handled war scene as the battle begins. In quests its usually a band versus another smaller group this time its more in the tradition of Helm’s Deep (but notably longer than the few pages that is described in) and now there are an army of Zakaras that need stopping. Turner has a finely created suite of waves, attacks, counter-attacks, highs and lows. Sacrifices are made and it all feels like it counts. That this book is not the finale suggests more pain is to come but it is very very well executed.

Oen interesting and again refreshing angle is we have a new country explored in the form of Babuton which introduces an almost South American style feel to a country. Turner avoids the tropes of making it simple prehistoric mystic culture and subtly subverts those pre-conceptions to reveal via Elita’s escape to it a cultured, intelligent and different set of beliefs and magics that stands in contrast well to our two more European-style countries and there are suggestions more surprises and different forms of magic lie in store in the next .

This book leaves me very keen to find out what happened next. Danger is high, heroes have been lost, hope still wavers and definitely a series where Turner is doing really interesting things with Epic Fantasy for the twenty-first century. Highly Recommended!