Review: Grievar's Blood by Alexander Darwin
Blurb:
The second book in an action-packed science fiction trilogy set on a far future world where the fate of nations is determined by battle-hardened warriors who are trained to compete in brutal single combat.
In a world where single combat determines the fate of nations, the Grievar fight in the Circles so that the rest can remain at peace. But given the stakes, things are never so simple. The Daimyo govern from the shadows and plot to gain an edge by unnaturally enhancing their Grievar Knights.
Cego and his team return to the world’s most prestigious combat school, The Lyceum. Though he'd like to focus on his martial studies, Cego feels the pull of his mysterious past and two missing brothers.
Solara Halberd, daughter of the fighting legend, embarks on her own quest to bury the past. She must utilize every lesson her father taught her to explore unknown lands where evil lurks in the shadows.
Review:
Grievar’s Blood continues the story where Combat Codes (book 1) left off! Basically, the premise of this series is that of a futuristic world where (nuclear?) warfare has pretty much destroyed the world. Now, set years and years after those events, the surviving nations have each made a pact, so instead of resorting to weapons of war to solve their disputes, they instead solve them by one-on-one combat. The people who fight in these bouts are called Griever.
Here, we follow Cego, a (15?) year old boy who, after the conclusion of book one, is now a part of an elite team training to become one of these said Grievar. Cego is your classic coming of age hero. He is noble and has a kind heart. He is extremely passionate, a hard worker, and follows a strict moral code which seems to have been forgotten amidst the modern day Grievar, which sets him apart from the rest in the best way possible.
Overall, I found book 2 just as good, if not even better than book 1. The scope of the story again begins small, where we focus on the characters first, then gradually expands into something much grander, which is how I like to enjoy my books. Character development first, then hit me with the world expansion and up the stakes! If anything, I would have perhaps enjoyed a little more time with Cego and his team in this one so when that big emotional moment comes, it would have been even more impactful, but it still very much worked for me.
In Grievar’s Blood, we also now follow Sol, a female Grievar on her journey to recover her father’s body from a corrupted Daimyo (leaders of the new world). I found her to be a really well rounded and likeable character overall, and I enjoyed how her story (while isolated) eventually linked in with the overarching plot and I’m excited to see where her character goes in book 3! The other new character we were introduced to was Silas, Cego’s older brother. I originally had my reservations about him, as I expected his character might be a bit emotionless and bland, but I was glad to be proven wrong. The ending left me with all the right amounts of curious energy and satisfaction. I can’t wait to see where this one goes!
The last thing I wanted to touch on, is the fight scenes! I really love it when someone is an expert in a certain field and their expertise is prevalent in their writing. I think it makes a book so much more immersive and this is exactly what you get in the Combat Codes! Every fight is different yet entirely believable. If you’re a fan of MMA, UFC, Jui-jitsu, or love games such as Mortal Kombat, then this series is an absolute MUST read.
