Bloodmage (Age of Darkness #2) is Stephen Aryan’s second novel, following on from events in Battlemage (review), though not necessarily a direct sequel in the strictest terms. I mentioned in my review of Battlemage that I was drawn to it primarily because of my friendship with Steve – fantasy not being my go-to genre – but I approached Bloodmage in an entirely different way. I was eager to read it to see where the story would go, what twists and turns were in store, and just how the world is progressing after the epic climax in the first novel. What I found not only met my expectations, but blew past them, delivering a second novel that is perhaps even more enjoyable than Battlemage.
From the publisher:
The people of Perizzi have survived the battlemage war, but their future is looking darker than ever…
BYRNE is a member of the Watch, investigating a series of murders in which the corpse was drained entirely of life.
FRAY’s expertise with magic is needed to catch the killer, but working with the Watch destroyed his father, years before.
CHOSS is a champion fighter, trying to diffuse a war in the underworld that threatens to turn the streets red with rivers of blood.
KATJA is a spy from a foreign land, attempting to prevent a massacre that will topple two dynasties and destroy the fragile peace in the city for ever.
Watchmen and spies, assassins and criminals will clash on the streets in this magic-fuelled adventure from the author of Battlemage.
With murders of a magical nature taking place in the city, Byrne enlists the help of his former partner’s son, Fray, in order to assist in tracking down the assailant. With frightening similarities between the current murders and those of Fray’s father’s final case, Fray is eager to learn more of what happened back then in the hopes it will help him stop the building magical tension on the streets. Choss is a former fighter, well respected on the streets, and present when the so-called fleshmage initiates a frenzy at the fighting arena. From here he works with one of the families to discover just what is going on. We also follow Katja, a spy investigating the rumoured plot to assassinate the queens of two lands when they come together in the city. With leads taking her to dark and murky areas, she finally makes progress, but the questions that are raised show that there is more at stake than she initially thought.
Now, Bloodmage is a different beast to Battlemage, let me say that straight away. Where Battlemage was about the war, frontline fighting, and epic magic battles between skilled users, Bloodmage has a much narrower focus, reading more along the lines of a thriller. With magical murders, assassination plots, and gang-family disagreements all taking place in one city, Aryan has managed to fine-tune his approach to storytelling.
Following on from events in Battlemage, magic is no longer a skill to be proud of, instead one to hide given the fear surrounding it after the conclusion of the war. This makes Fray, our magically gifted protagonist, a very good viewpoint to have. We see first-hand how scared the people are of magic, with one example showing a young boy beaten in the streets by a crowd that includes his mother. But it is still a skill that is in dire need, and without Fray’s input Byrne may have run out of leads in his hunt for the killer. Their relationship is a strange one given that Byrne used to partner Fray’s father before he died in the service of the Guardians. There is both respect, friendship, and mistrust present, and Aryan delves into this confidently, examining the impact of past events on the current situation.
Katja’s storyline is also fascinating, and done in a completely different way. A loyal spy desperately searching for answers before she runs out of time, we see her infiltrate the disgruntled citizens that want the city returned to its better days, not bowing to another nation. The way she questions events leads to some interesting situation and revelations, and it was always a pleasure to follow her quest throughout the story. However, Choss’ progress was my favourite. A former champion fighter that has risen to co-ownership of the arena, and a man that is much deeper than initial impressions may show. His exploits throughout the novel were a highlight, and also one of the centre pieces of the story.
I had very few issues with Bloodmage, finding the story, characters, and pacing excellent. I was immersed from the first page, enjoying the change of scenery while also appreciating the underlying threads that had been carried forward from Battlemage. Being a hard-to-please reader when it comes to the fantasy genre, Stephen Aryan’s Age of Darkness novels have measured up exceedingly well. Great stuff.
Publisher: http://www.orbitbooks.net/
Author: http://stephen-aryan.com/
April 2016, 512 Pages
Paperback, ISBN: 9780356504773
Review from purchased copy
© 2016 Mark Chitty
