For August, our members voted to read Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan. There are a number of great reviews for this one, including one here on Fantasy-Faction where it earned a 9 star rating. I really enjoyed it as well and am quite looking forward to the discussion on it!
The Age of Kings is dead . . . and I have killed it.
It’s a bloody business overthrowing a king . . .
Field Marshal Tamas’ coup against his king sent corrupt aristocrats to the guillotine and brought bread to the starving. But it also provoked war with the Nine Nations, internal attacks by royalist fanatics, and the greedy to scramble for money and power by Tamas’s supposed allies: the Church, workers unions, and mercenary forces.
Stretched to his limit, Tamas is relying heavily on his few remaining powder mages, including the embittered Taniel, a brilliant marksman who also happens to be his estranged son, and Adamat, a retired police inspector whose loyalty is being tested by blackmail.
But when gods are involved . . .
Now, as attacks batter them from within and without, the credulous are whispering about omens of death and destruction. Just old peasant legends about the gods waking to walk the earth. No modern educated man believes that sort of thing. But they should . . .
In a rich, distinctive world that mixes magic with technology, who could stand against mages that control gunpowder and bullets? Promise of Blood is the start of a new epic fantasy series from Brian McClellan.
Hope you can join in our discussions!
Buy on Amazon US
Buy on Amazon UK
WANT TO JOIN IN?
If you would like to join us you can visit our forums and add your name to the list here. Want to know how our Book Club works first? Read on!
CHOOSING A BOOK
All books are nominated and voted on by our members. Each month we will have a theme or subgenre for the nominations. Anyone can nominate a book and everyone can vote. In September we will be reading The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North. Check back soon to help pick a book for October.
SUGGESTING A THEME/SUBGENRE FOR UPCOMING MONTHS
We want to make sure to put out themes/genres that people are interested in and cover a wide selection of books. We are happy to get suggestions and ideas for upcoming months. If you have something you would like to see us do in the future, please share it here.
SPOILER FREE DISCUSSION
Fantasy Book Club begins on the 1st of every month. Once a book is started, we discuss it in a way that will not spoil the story. We limit how much you can discuss and when, and break it down by week.
Week 1 – You may only discuss the first 1/4 of the book
Week 2 – You may only discuss the first 1/2 of the book
Week 3 – You may only discuss the first 3/4 of the book
Week 4 – Anything goes
We are going to go based on page count. So for example, if a book has 500 pages then week one you can discuss up to page 125 and then week two 250 and so on. Each week will have a separate thread, so as not to spoil the story for people who fall behind or come in late.
WHAT IF YOU WANT TO READ FASTER THAN THAT?
Not a problem at all. You are more than welcome to read ahead, but when discussing things just remember to post in the appropriate thread. And if you’re not sure when something happened you can always use the spoiler tag to hide your post.
Should you not want any spoilers or discussion during the reading process, then just come after the end of week three and start discussing the book once you have finished. (This is how most book clubs operate anyway.)
We would love for you to join us! You can sign up for this month’s book club here or visit our book club section to see all our past selections here.
WANT REMINDERS?
Follow @FFBookClub on Twitter for reminders when book club starts nominations, voting and discussions.
Richard Marpole
Jennie Ivins